Changing Waters
by Batfan3
Summary: Sometimes she regretted becoming a hero, but then she would remember why, and all of that regret would turn into something else...anger, and she would repeat that promise, and never, ever, forget. Scarlet is trying to escape her past, escape her failures. But the thing about a past, is it always catches up with you...DISCONTINUED - REVISED VERSION NOW UP!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Never Again**

She looked at him in horror.

"It was you?" she whispered. "All along, you kept telling me that it was him, but it was you. _Why_?"

"I saw potential that no-one else saw. You were brave, and you had reasons," he replied stoically.

"So you wanted to train me to be a weapon!" She yelled. He shook his head.

"No, your powers were great, we didn't want you to hurt any-"

"Yes, you did. And I believed you, followed you,_ trusted _you. Fool that I was." She turned away so he didn't see the tear slide down her cheek. He walked up to her.

"Well you know what? Never again will someone like you use me. Never again." She said quietly, turning so she was eye to eye with her, now, enemy, "I'm done." With that, she threw something down, it exploded, smoke flooded the room. Men came pouring in. When the smoke cleared, she was gone.

"Should we go after her sir?" One of the men asked. He shook his head.

"Idiots, you'll never catch her."


	2. Scarlet

**Chapter 1**

**Scarlet **

A girl with long red hair, brown skin and crystal blue eyes, sat in the hold of a cargo ship. She was about fifteen years old, small for her age, yet strong and lithe.

She was running. That's all she seemed to be doing these days. Running. She no longer had a safe haven, or a place to be.

She'd known the consequences of leaving, but she didn't care. She couldn't spend another second there in that hell-hole.

The cargo-ship was headed for Gotham. She dreaded returning to her birth place, but she didn't have much of a choice. That was the only place that _he _wouldn't look for her. He knew how much she didn't like it there. The site of her greatest failure, her worst memories.

She was shaken from her thoughts by footsteps coming down the stairs. She scooted backwards a little, pulling the camouflaged cape tighter around her. A light briefly shown in the corner where she hid, but moved on just as fast.

She let out a slow sigh. She didn't hate Gotham, she just had memories she wished to avoid. But sometimes she had to do things that made her uncomfortable.

Scarlet darted off the ship, ignoring the shouts of surprise and darting into an alley, scrambling up a wall with ease. She roof hopped until she was quite a ways into the city.

First thing on her list was to find a place to stay. There was an abundance of abandoned buildings in Gotham's underbelly. One such building shone brighter in her memory.

It was a broken down movie theater. It had been abandoned for a while and not many people went there, so it was pretty much ripe for the taking.

She sat down on the edge of the stage, looking around. Her eyes traveled to the rafters. She shot a grappler up, looking around the big area. She could get a canvas, use some of the tools and nails lying around, then connect the canvas onto the beams.

"This can work," she told herself. "For now."

She didn't have a ton of stuff, but she didn't have a little either. She opened up her backpack, straddling the beam. She had a collapsible bo staff/eskrema sticks, a case of shurikans, four grapplers, six throwing knives (with sheaths), a case of bombs, smoke pellets and various special bombs, a long whip, and, her prize, a beautifully made katana. Courtesy of her former mentor.

A second backpack sat to one side with her suit, extra clothes, toiletries, her phone, and a few other things. Necessities.

She gazed at her suit blankly. It was black, with a red bird on the chest, the utility belt was red too. The full weight of her position finally crashed down on her. She squeezed the kevlar enforced fabric so tight that her knuckles were white.

Then the tears came.

Just little ones at first, then heart wrenching sobs shook her small frame.

She scrubbed at her cheeks angrily.

"You're weak," she spat. "And pathetic. Pull yourself together." She wiped away the last of the tears and stuffed the suit back into her backpack.

"I'm never going back. Never." The last thing her former mentor said appeared in her mind;

_"__My dear Strike, never is such a long time…"_

**Sorry it's short, next one will be longer.**


	3. Red Kite

**I am so so sorry for the long wait, my computer got taken away. Last chapter a lot of people said it wasn't****very descriptive, and I know that, it's not supposed to be. You won't be finding out about Scarlet until quite a bit later. Thanks for the reviews! More reviews=more chapters!**

**And without further adué, Chapter 3**

**Chapter 3**

**Red Kite**

Scarlet walked along the street, head down, hoodie pulled low over her face. It was around ten o'clock, it would've been dangerous for anyone in Gotham at this time, everyone but her. Training for over eight years by one of the best martial artists in the world had it's benefits.

A police car zoomed by, siren screaming. She remembered talk in the ship earlier. Something about a big drug trade off at the docks.

She mentally debated wether or not to go. It was something to do. She didn't have anything else today, tomorrow or any other day. She rolled her eyes at herself, but headed back to her new home, grabbing her suit and weapons.

She didn't live to far from the docks, in took three minutes of roof hopping to arrive at on a warehouse. She tapped the domino mask, turning on the infrared vision. She looked around. Two heat signatures on the rooftop two buildings over, probably the Dynamic Dunderheads, fifteen inside the warehouse right across from her.

She smirked.

_Gotcha. _

She watched Batman and Robin. She quickly went over to the warehouse, staying out of sight and turning off the infrared. She hadn't seen anyone near the side door, so she chose that as her entry point.

"What are we waiting around for?" One of the guys said. "They should 'ave been 'ere by now."

"Oi, the boss says we wait for 'dem, so we wait," another said.

The main door opened. Fifteen more people came in.

"Sorry we're late boys, do you have the merchandise?" The leader said.

"Aye we got it," the apparent leader of the other group said. "You got the money?"

"Where's your boss?"

"He aint here tonight, jus' like your boss aint. Let's just finish up and get out of 'ere before the Bat and his Brat come."

She smirked. _You're gonna wish it were the Bat by the time I'm done with you._

She jumped on the dealer closest to her, knocking him out with a well placed jab.

"Who's-"

"Doesn't matter, just get her!"

She drew her katanna, blocking the bullets with ease. She made the bullets hit in non-lethal places. Shoulders, legs. She jumped up, taking out several dealers. The guy behind her dropped by a well placed kick. Not from her.

"I was wondering when you two would show up," she said with a laugh.

"Who are you?" Robin asked.

"Focus on the fight Birdboy, we'll talk later," she said. It took them only a few moments to take out the rest of them, they then went to the roof as the cops drove up.

"Already called the cops huh? Nice-" She turned, only to be glared at by the Batman. He was about a foot taller than her, so it might have been intimidating. To bad it wasn't.

"Don't glare at me," she spat. "I was helping."

"Who are you?" He growled.

"The name's Red Kite," she said, mock bowing.

Robin snorted. "What kind of name is that?"

She shot him a glare. "Of shutcha trap, _Robin._"

"Why are you here?" Batman said, ignoring the exchange.

"What's it look like Bat?" She asked, taking a step back. "Suit, belt, crime fighting skills in spades."

"Who trained you?" Batman growled.

She placed a hand on her chest. "Now now of all people should know how important a secret identity is."

"Except that this is my city," he growled. "You want to play hero? Go to Metropolis. Gotham is off limits."

Her lightheartedness disappeared. "I go where I want. I don't need some over-grown rodent telling me what I can and can't do. You saw me take them out, easy. I'm not hurting anyone."

"Tell that to those men you shot," he said.

She huffed. "I didn't shoot them. They shot themselves." He glared. "So what if my methods are more extreme. They were shooting at me. I didn't kill them. Any of them."

"What is your goal?" Batman asked.

She shrugged. "Same as yours. Plus it's something to do. Besides, most people will think it's you. I'm not going to hurt your precious Gotham."

"You think we're gonna believe that?" Robin asked.

"No. But I don't care." She started to walk away. "I don't want nutt'n to do with you two." Before either of them could stop her, she threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared.

Dick flipped up and down on the trapeze in the Batcave. They'd just gotten back from patrol, the night had been slow, apart from the girl, Red Kite.

"So Bruce, what are we gonna do about this Red Kite?" He asked.

Bruce didn't looked up. "I placed a tracker on her. It's transmitting."

"Cool." Dick jumped down and went over. At the moment she was going across Gotham, away from the docks, towards…she stopped at a little appliance store called AJ's Tech. "We going after her?"

Bruce didn't answer. Suddenly, the signal disappeared.

"She found it," he said in slight aw.

Bruce grunted. "Both of them."

"You had two on her?" He asked.

"I like to be prepared," Bruce said.

"So what are we gonna do?" He asked.

Bruce looked at the screen briefly, then stood. "Nothing."

He stared at his mentor's retreating back. "What? What do you mean _nothing_?"

"I mean, nothing. We're going to wait. It's her move."

Scarlet turned the tracking device in her hand. She'd crushed one, but rewired the other to stop transmitting. If ever she needed to contact the Bat, she could.

She sort of wanted to go to a high school. It was something to do during the day, also a useful gossip outlet, and people looked at her weird when they saw a lone fifteen year old at a coffee shop. She could use her considerable hacking skills to get herself records and parents. Her parents wouldn't be around, obviously, only taking messages and such.

Gotham North seemed like a good a place as any. She also needed a job. Something simple, just to get her food. It wouldn't be to hard in school. She knew history, she was good at math, english was, eh, she was also multi-linguistic. She was pretty average in everything else. She'd do good.

She didn't really know _why _she wanted to. She just did. She would use Kara Madison as an alias. She'd never used it before, so _they_ wouldn't know.

Scarlet looked around at the chatting teens and little clusters and groups. She blended in fine, blond hair, brown eyes, light skin. First day of school. Gosh that sounded so cheesy. But all well, here we go.

The bell rang and all of the teens filed in. Her first class was math, which she did well at. The roll call was done and over with quickly. And the day of classes began.

At lunch, Scarlet sat alone in the cafeteria, her ears open to the gossip around her. Her classes had been surprisingly easy. It was weird, acting like a regular kid. She couldn't stop herself from analyzing threat levels, exit and entry points, possible escape strategies. It was all drilled into her.

**One week later…**

Scarlet was back 'home', honing the blade of her sword on a whetstone. Her glove/wrist computer/hacker/equipment place sat next to her. She'd hacked the police frequency, all she had to do now was wait.

She'd already done her homework.

"It's so weird having to worry about homework," she muttered.

She'd spent the last seventy two hours in a steady routine. Get up, train, school, homework.

At night she would patrol Gotham, trying to avoid all encounters with Batman. She hadn't fought any Arkhamites as of yet though. She couldn't say she was disappointed. She'd had enough crazy for a life-time.

The 'zing' of stone on steel was the only noise in the abandoned building. She thought about moving every few nights, but dismissed the idea. She'd already bought a canvas, hooking it to the beams to create a sort of platform. Just so she wouldn't roll off at night.

_"__All units respond. Joker and Harley Quinn spotted at the Gotham Bank, five hostages."_

A slow smirk spread across her face. So maybe she did want some action. She quickly changed, grabbing her belt and pulling on her gloves. The domino mask finished off the ensemble.

It only took five minutes to get to the bank. New record. A bunch of police cars were outside.

She went to the top of the building, looking down through the skylight.

"You were right Bats."

She didn't even flinch. "Oh hey Bats, bird. Nice of you to join the party."

"Stay out of this one," Batman growled. "You don't know how to handle a hostage situation."

She snorted, turning. "Says who? I can do it just fine."

_I've caused them after all._

Batman glared.

She opened the skylight by breaking the lock with her katanna.

" 'sides, we're waisting time."

Batman jumped down. "Follow our lead."

She snorted. "Yes bossman, whatever you say." She jumped down after Robin. "Like hell." The bank was eerily quiet, the sunlight streamed in from the skylight.

"Joker's making his move in the day, that's not normal," Robin remarked.

Batman shot him a glance. "Name one thing about the Joker that's normal."

Robin shrugged. "Good point."

She tapped her mask, flicking on the infrared.

"I've got seven heat signatures in the second room to the right, two more on the second story," she reported.

_Reported? Since when did she report?_

Robin glanced at her, she shrugged. "Infrared."

"Same," Robin said.

"Robin and Red Kite, you get the hostages. I'll take Joker and Harley," Batman ordered.

Robin gave a short nod, going in the direction of the seven heat signature room. She followed quickly.

_Followed? Reported? Geez girl, get your head in the game._

They found two big guys, machine guns pointed at three hostages who were gagged, bound and unconscious. Three. Robin glanced at her. Uh oh.

Something slammed into her from behind.

"Oh Mistah J, your plan worked poifectly!" A high-pitched, bright voice with a New Jersey accent rang out.

She picked herself up, Joker and Harley Quinn stood in the doorway.

"Don't move birds, or the people eat led," Joker said. Then cackled. "Don't you just love a good surprise?"

"By now, Batman has found the other two hostages, tied to a bomb set to go off in five minutes," Harley said. "Isn't Mistah J a genius?"

"Why thank you Harley."

Her eyes flicked to Robin, he was inching a bat-a-rang from his glove even as she pulled a shurikans from hers.

He gave a barely perceptible nod. The threw their respective weapons at the same time, hit the guns with a small explosion. She jumped on one thug, hitting several pressure points, he dropped like a stone. Robin had already taken out his.

"Oh like we didn't expect that." He pulled a giant gun from behind the door, cackling madly and firing wildly. The bullets, miraculously, missed the hostages, who were still tied and gagged.

She spun her sword, blocking the bullets.

"Impressive," Joker said. "Who trained you?"

She threw an ice pellet, it hit the gun, ice flew up the barrel, almost catching Joker's hands.

"I almost forgot to ask, who exactly are you?" Joker asked, rubbing his hands, he whipped out two switchblades, blocking an attack from Robin's eskrima sticks.

She dodged a bullet fired by Harley.

"No one of consequence," she said. "But you can call me Red Kite." She caught Harley's leg, who'd tried to kick her, throwing Harley back to Joker. "I think this is yours!" Joker simply sidestepped.

Robin dropped down on Joker, using him as a springboard and landing next to her.

"Well that was lame," Joker said, seeming annoyed.

"Check again," Robin said with a smirk.

The explosives on Joker's knives blew. Something slammed into her, Harley.

"Don't you dare hurt mistah J!" She said. Red Kite dodged a punch, her foot catching Harley in the jaw, dropping her.

She looked up to Batman take out the Joker, then help Robin up.

"Civilians safe?" She asked.

He gave her a sharp nod.

She cut the civilians bonds, re-sheathing her katanna across her back. Batman and Robin had already tied up the Joker and Harley Quinn.

The civilians started to groan. She backed out of the room, shooting a grappler up to the skylight, landing up on the roof.

Both Robin and Batman were there momentarily.

"Staying out of the spotlight?" Robin questioned.

She shot him a glare.

"You did surprisingly good," Batman remarked.

"S-surprisingly?" She sputtered.

"I can help you," he added.

She crossed her arms defiantly. "I'm fine on my own."

Robin coughed/snorted.

"This is also my city," Batman growled.

She held up her hands. "I get it okay? No powers, no killing. Got it."

"Those aren't the only factors," he added.

She backed away. "I won't get in your way. Promise." She turned and jumped off the building.

She took a round-about way back home, panting by the time she got there. She leaned against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position. She leaned her head against the wall.

_That was close. To close. Could he know? No. Well, he is the Batman._

She hoped he would let her continue as a hero. She told herself it was just for the rush, the action that came with the cape, but it was more than that. It was a way for her to make up for all that she'd done. A way to wipe away some of the red in her ledger.

She shuddered, her heart pounding, at the echoes of the screaming, the terror, gunshots, silence. Closing her eyes and resting her head against her knees.

_Deep breath. In…out…in…out._

The shudders subsided, her heart returned to it's normal rate. She hated this. It made her feel weak. Weak and small. It was _his_ fault. He made her feel that way. And she hated it.

She slowly stood, running a hand through her long red hair, slowly drawing in a long shuddering breath.

"Never give up. Never break. Never submit," she recited. This phrase had been hammered into her from early childhood, she'd done it up to now, she wasn't about to quit. 


	4. Complications

"No. No nope, noda, zip, never, ever ever." Red Kite shook her head vigorously at Batman's final condition.

"You agreed," he said.

"No, you were just telling me the conditions, I never agreed to anything," she said desperately.

"Do you want a place in Gotham or not?"

She turned away. "You don't get it."

"What? That you've had a team before. A team of five that went on a mission in Bermuda, and only one returned."

She shuddered slightly. "Stop. Please."

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "That's surviver's guilt Scarlet, there was nothing you could have done that you didn't do."

"If I were stronger, I could have done it, I could have…saved them." She hugged herself tightly, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"No, you couldn't have. No matter how strong you were, no matter how fast you went, no one could have saved them."

She bit her lip until she tasted blood.

"You need to let that go."

She shook her head. "Stop it. It was my fault. Donnie, Artemis, Jinx, Dean. They're all gone. All gone because of me."

"No one could have foreseen the earthquake. They all knew that. It came with the job. But this is a second chance. It's a chance for you to let go of that guilt, use your abilities to help people."

"You don't know what happened!" She squeezed her eyes shut. "Stop it! No. I can't have anyone else's blood on my hands."

She ran and jumped, shooting a grappler and swinging off. She knew that he probably had a tracer on her, but at this point she didn't care.

She arrived at her safe-haven unscathed. Sitting on the topmost beam, she leaned against the wall, one leg dangling over the edge. She pulled her locket from under her suit, pouring a little bit of water into the designs and swirls on the surface. The locket popped open. Inside were page-like images.

One of her family, before. Another of her team, before. And one of her and her best friend, before.

Before the Shadows. Before Deathstroke. Before Strike.

She laughed bitterly. "Everything I touch goes to pieces. My family, my team, my life."

She gripped the small pendant tightly, her knuckles were white. "I can't live like this," she whispered. "A life like this is no life at all."

She picked up her sword, running a hand along it's smooth edge. There were beautifully engraved words along the edge. The language was Romani.

_Nu cedati niciodata_

"Never give up," she recited in a whisper. "Never is such a long time." Her eyes hardened. "And I can last for much longer."

A few nights later, she was waiting for Batman and Robin at the Batsignal. She'd already been on patrol for a few hours, she was almost ready to go home.

She took a deep breath, she could do this. She would.

Both Batman and Robin arrived swiftly.

Batman gave her a questioning look, she nodded.

"What's up?" Robin greeted.

"The sky."

"Ha ha hilarious."

She smirked. "I intercepted a text from that dealer we nabbed a few nights ago, there's another deal goin' down. Tonight."

"Clear on my end," she reported into the comm Batman had given her.

Both Robin and Batman replied with the same thing.

Her eyes roved the still docks. Why they always chose the docks was beyond her, but all well.

Five minutes past…then ten….

She started to report. "Clea-oh wait hold up…" She flicked on her infrared, then smirked. "Gotcha. I got four heat sigs. They're in a moving truck coming up to warehouse #23. Another truck behind them."

_"__I've got a black u-haul truck comin' up from the East," _Robin said. _"Switching to x-ray…truck's got four crates and three guys with guns."_

_"__Hostile count?" _Batman asked.

_"__Mmm…I'm counting fourteen, possibly fifteen," _Robin reported.

"What's the plan?" Red Kite asked.

There was silence from both Batman and Robin, she turned on her infrared, then cursed softly. Both of them were already in the warehouse. She quickly made her way over, staying out of sight and making minimal noise.

"Gee thanks for keeping me informed," she hissed. Robin shot her a cheeky smile. She stuck her tongue at him. Batman shot them a glare.

"Get those crates unloaded," thug #1 commanded.

"Where's the boss?" Thug #2 asked.

"You don't get paid to ask questions," thug #1 replied.

The other party drove up.

"I trust the merchandise is all counted for?" A well-dressed man asked, stepping out of the second truck.

"Yea' we got it, where's the loot?" Thug #1 asked.

Dressy waved a hand, two guys came out, they had a case, inside the case were diamonds.

#1 rubbed his hands, reaching for the diamonds.

"Ah ah ah. The merchandise."

He grumbled but waved a hand. The three crates were brought over. The smallest of the crates had a mechanical thing.

Red Kite tapped her mask, zooming in on the head. Her chest constricted.

"Guys, that's Amazo," she whispered. "This is bad."

Batman made several hand motions. Message received.

Smoke filled the area. Red Kite went after the guys around Amazo, taking them out almost too easily. It was hard not to just kill them.

"Old habits die hard," she muttered between clenched teeth. She ducked a random flying body and blocked bullets with her sword. Through the smoke, she saw the lead man try to escape. She smiled, throwing her sword with extreme precision.

The sword caught his shirt and he was close enough to the wall that it pinned him there. She did several handsprings and landed next to him. (so maybe she was showing off. Who cares?)

"Where do you think you're going?" She said with a smirk. She tied his legs, removed her sword, sheathing it, and grabbed him, grappling up through the skylight (why was there even a skylight?) and up on the roof. She through him down on the ground, glancing back on the closing battle below.

"Who the hell are you? Another Bat?" He asked.

She turned, every hint of a smile gone. "No," she said softly, menacingly. "But you'll wish I were." She dragged him closer to the edge of the building. "Now I am going to ask you once, _once, _and if you don't answer with the truth, well," she chuckled, "I've killed men twice your size and skill."

"If you think I'm gonna tell you anything, than you're crazier than the Bat," he sneered.

She smiled coldly. "Oh I am. I was trained to kill. And believe me when I tell you that if you don't tell me who your boss is, than I will sever every ligament, cut apart every muscle, break every bone." She held him so that their noses were almost touching. "You will be in more pain than you can imagine. And then, I will kill you."

He was unsure now, sweat trickled down his temple. "I know you hero-types don't kill."

"Who said I was a hero?" She wrapped her hand around his neck and squeezed. "Who bought Amazo? Who had enough to pay in _diamonds_?" She hissed. He stayed tightlipped. "Have you ever heard of Strike?" She asked coldly.

His eyes were wide.

"Tell me now, or you'll wish that the Bat had caught you," she snarled.

"D-d-d-d-on't, I-I'll t-talk."

She dropped him, knicking a pocket watch from his coat. "Hurry up, your clock is ticking."

"His name's Drage, that's all I know," he insisted.

Her blood ran cold. There was a crunching sound.

She felt a someone tap her shoulder. "Red-" She whipped around with lightning reflexes grabbed his shoulder, holding her sword to his throat.

"Red Kite," a voice growled.

She slowly let go, her sword tip fell to the ground. She glanced down at the crushed remnants of the pocket watch. Robin seemed surprised, shocked even.

"Sorry," she muttered. She glanced at the wide-eyed man on the ground, than slammed her foot down, effectively knocking him out.

"Why'd you do that?" Robin asked. "We could have gotten information!"

"I already did," she said. "His boss is some guys named Drage," she explained, looking at Batman. "You know him?"

Batman turned, grabbed the thug and jumped.

She blew out a puff of air. "Is he always like this?" She asked, handing her comm unit to Robin.

"Yeah." Robin followed his mentor. "We called the police already, so you can go if you want. See ya later Red."

"Don't call me that," she said. "Ever."

He just laugh and disappeared over the edge of the building. On her way home, she stopped a few muggings, attempted rapes, took down a few bad guys, the like. All with a smirk or a smile.

But as soon as she got back to her dirty, broken-down, makeshift home, she dropped the fake smile and leaned against the wall. Her heart sped up, anger clouded her vision, she turned and slammed a fist into the wall, the stone crumbling to make a three inch hole.

Tears of anger and sorrow blurred her vision.

"I'll make you pay Drage. I swear on my family's graves, you. Will. Pay."

_Strike stood next to her mentor, Deathstroke, confronted by a messenger and his guard. She held a sniper by the barrel, the butt resting on her hip._

_"__I was unaware that the great Deathstroke had a sidekick," one of them said dryly._

_Her masked eyes narrowed. "And this 'sidekick' can send you to hell with her pinky-finger. Or haven't you heard of Strike?"_

_He obviously paled. "Apologies."_

_"__Now who is your master, and what does he want?" She asked._

_"__He is the mighty Drage." Strike hid the burning anger at that name. "He has a job for you."_

_Deathstroke glanced at her, silently prompting her to answer._

_Her mouth twisted into a smile, she spoke almost conversationally. "Drage, the child trafficker? The murderer? A man who desecrates the very Earth with his mere existence?"_

_A beed of sweat trickled down his temple._

_In the blink of an eye, he was on the ground, the muzzle or her sniper pressed to his temple._

_Her voice grew cold as ice, soft and menacing. "You can tell Drage that we don't work for men who orphan six year olds and sell them as merchandise," she hissed. "And tell him that he'd better lay low. Because no matter where he hides…he won't be able to escape my bullet."_

_She let him up and the two men turned and fled._

_"__Strike, how many men does it take to deliver a message?" Deathstroke asked._

_She smiled a gruesome, satisfied smile, raising the sniper._

_"__Just…one."_

"NO!"

She awoke with a shout, adrenaline pumped through her veins, her heart pounded in her ears.

"No." She rested her forehead on her knees. "That's not me. I'm not Strike," she whispered.

_Once an assassin, always an assassin._

"No!" She said it louder, as if trying to convince someone, anyone. Herself.

_"__Just one…"_

"NO!" She hugged her knees, rocking back and forth. "No…"

"So what are we doing?" Red Kite asked the Dark Knight as they walked through the halls of the Watchtower.

"Superman called a meeting," he answered. Wow, he actually answered.

"Then what am I doing here?" She asked. "We both know that no one in the League like me. Heck, they barely _tolerate _me."

Batman glanced at her, but stayed silent. She grumbled a little, but let it go. She'd find out soon.

When they got to the meeting room, Batman took his seat, while she was left to stand. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms moodily.

The founding members of the League consisted of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow.

"Now that everyone's here, I will officially call this meeting to order," Superman said. She rolled her eyes.

"Why did you call us here?" Batman growled. "I don't have time to be called back and forth willy nilly."

Superman cleared his throat. "As most of you already know, about two weeks ago, we had an intruder in the Watchtower. She downloaded our files and knocked Green Arrow unconscious."

"Which was incredibly easy, by the way," she interjected. Seven pairs of eyes turned to glare at her. She shrugged, unperturbed. "What? S'true."

"You took me by surprise," Green Arrow protested.

She smirked. "Yeah, weren't you supposed to be on monitor duty?"

"Enough!" Batman intervened before anything else could be said. "What is your point Superman?"

"I called this meeting to discuss her status as a hero, and evaluate her threat level," Superman said. She was on high alert in a split second.

"What?! That is so lame. I don't have to answer to any of you, except maybe Bats, but only because I operate in Gotham," she exclaimed.

"But what Batman proposed affects everyone," Wonder Woman said calmly. "If you are to join the team, we need to decide as a group."

"Because they're your sidekicks," she muttered. "Wow, how brilliant."

Wonder Woman stood, taking out her…lasso…

She backed up, alarmed. "Oh no, don't you dare." She turned to Batman, something akin to desperation in her eyes. "Tell them to stop."

Batman observed her silently for a moment, then asked, "what questions do you plan on asking?"

Superman answered, "Simple ones, who trained her, if she has powers, how long she's been a hero."

Batman gave a slight nod. Anger flared in her, she glared at Wonder Woman.

"Don't make me hurt you," she hissed.

Wonder Woman sighed. "It won't hurt. And we promise not to ask anything to personal."

She glared at the Amazon, then at Batman, then back at Wonder Woman. "Fine," she spat through clenched teeth.

Wonder Woman placed the lasso around her, it was loose.

"Who trained you?"

She felt a horrible feeling, trying to force the answer out. She snapped her mouth shut, gritting her teeth together. Her head reeled.

"Impressive," Wonder Woman said, looking like she meant it. "But no one can resist the lasso's power."

A smirk ghosted across her features. "_Stróc bás_," she said. The feelings disappeared. Her smirk widened. She saw Batman smile.

The entire League (excluding Batman) looked extremely confused.

"What did you say?" Superman questioned. She repeated her answer. "What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," she answered.

"Do you have powers?"

"_Bẹẹni_," she replied.

"How long have you been a hero?"

This one she answered. "Not long."

"What language was that?"

"_Sebahagian daripadanya yang berbeza_," she answered. Batman's smirk widened.

"Answer in English," Wonder Woman commanded.

"_Af̱tí̱ í̱tan mia entolí̱_," she pointed out in perfect Themyscarian.

"How..?" Wonder Woman was completely dumbfounded. "How do you know Themyscarian?"

"_Eṉ vaḻikāṭṭiyāṉa eṉakku kaṟṟu_," she answered.

Wonder Woman growled.

"Stop," Batman commanded. "I know all of these answers."

"What are they?" Superman asked.

She tensed. "I'm not going to tell any of you. These questions have are on a personal level for Red Kite and I promised I would keep her secrets." Red Kite was beyond surprised. "You'll just have to trust me."

The League knew that they weren't going to get anywhere. Wonder Woman removed the lasso. Red Kite was relieved to have it off. She hated the feeling it gave her.

"What languages were those?" Superman asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I love how you think I'm gonna tell you. It doesn't take a genius to tell that you would just translate the words using the security tapes." She pulled up a little holograph on her glove. "Which are, btw, wiped clean as of…now."

Batman stood. "Enough Red Kite. If we're done here, I have other, more productive, things to do."

Superman gave a slight nod. As she followed Batman out of the room, she turned, giving a mock salute.

"A pleasure to play," she said. "I look forward to the next match."

Once out of earshot of the room, Batman glared at her.

"What was that?" He growled.

She shrugged. "Showing them what I can do, and that I keep my secrets to myself. And that nothing they do will change that." She shot him a glance. "And I saw you smirking in there. You knew what I would do, you knew they wouldn't get any answers."

Batman smirked slightly now. "I know who trained you. And I know he would teach you certain failsafes in case something like that happened."

She grumbled something under her breath in Arabic. Along with a few curses.

"Do I have to?" Red Kite sent Batman a pleading look. She knew she sounded like a desperate child, but she didn't care. It was just after the League meeting.

Batman shot her a glare. She sighed. They were walking through the halls of the Watchtower, on their way to the teleport platform.

She didn't know how Batman had known about her old team, the point was that he _knew, _he'd known something that only one person alive knew. Her.

A thought occurred to her. She stopped.

"Batman, were you monitoring me?" She asked. He didn't answer, didn't stop walking. She blocked his path. "Answer me! How did you know about Bermuda?"

"A few months ago there was an earthquake in Bermuda, a volcano erupted, five unknown heroes intervened, those heroes disappeared into the mountain and no one came out." He paused. "You saved a lot of lives."

"How did you know it was me?" She asked.

"A child you rescued was from Gotham," Batman said. "He and his parents were on vacation there. The picture in the news paper looks similar enough to you that he recognized you as the hero who saved him."

"But…how did, how did you find out?" She asked. "Were they at some charity event?"

"Yes, actually. I know the child's parents. When they came to the manor, the newspaper was on one of the chairs, he saw it and mentioned it."

"How old is this kid?" She asked.

"Around six."

She ran a hand through her hair. "So it was pure coincidence that you put it all together. Just my luck," she muttered. "You're incredibly unemotional, you know that right?"

"You agreed." She shot a glare at him, which did nothing. Of course.

"So this team, who founded it?" She asked.

"Robin."

"Who assigns missions?"

"I do."

Batman nodded to the Martian, who was on monitor duty, and he typed in the teleport coordinates. There was a bright flash of light, when the light cleared, they were in a good sized room, several different doors branched off.

Batman turned to her. "Red Kite, welcome to Titan Tower."

Robin responded to Batman's call and gathered the Titans in the meeting room. Batman entered.

"As some as you may have heard, a new, solo, hero has arisen in Gotham," he said. _Uh oh. _He didn't like the sound of this. Red Kite stepped into the room. "This is Red Kite, your new teammate."


	5. The Teen Titans

**Chapter 5**

**Teen Titans**

Silence filled the room. Red Kite stood with her arms crossed, and a look on her face that said;

_What you gonna do about it?_

"Say what?" Cyborg said finally, breaking the silence.

"I'm your new teammate," she said. "Or weren't you listening?"

"Batman-"

Batman interrupted Robin. "This isn't up for debate."

"Does she even have any training?" Kid Flash asked.

"Yes, _she _does," Red Kite spat.

"I think it'll be nice to have another girl on the team," Wonder Girl said.

"Who is she?" Blue Beetle asked.

"Sorry darlin' that's classified," she said. "And yes West, I have a lot of training."

"Did you just-"

"Wally West, aka Kid Flash, protege of the Flash, aka Barry Allen. You got your powers by recreating the circumstances that gave the Flash his powers. Your powers include super speed, enhanced healing, faster thought process, and a big mouth."

"How do you know all that?" West demanded, on his feet in an instant.

She smirked. "I know about all of you."

"Me?" Wonder girl asked.

"Wonder girl, aka Cassandra Sandsmark, daughter of Helena Sandsmark and the god Zeus, powers include enhanced speed, strength and invulnerability, your lasso was given to you by the god Ares and is affected by your anger levels."

Wonder girl's eyes were wide.

"You can't possibly know all of us," Cyborg challenged.

_Challenge accepted._

"Cyborg, aka Victor Stone, origin; car crash, your father, a head scientist at Star Labs, saved you by giving you cybernetic implants. The implants were outfitted with various tech and weapons and you used this to your advantage, becoming the hero Cyborg." She smirked. "Next?"

"Me," Blue Beatle volunteered.

"Blue Beetle, aka Heimi or Jaime Reyes, you inherited the beetle from it's previous host, Ted Cord. Origin of the beetle, the Reach. It went off-mode, affected by different mystical forces on this particular planet."

"Superboy."

"Superboy, aka Connor Kent. A clone of Superman, genetically made and grown by Cadmus as a failsafe in case Superman ever went rogue. Which he did. Powers include super-strength, super-hearing, invulnerability and x-ray vision, and jumping really high."

"Robin."

"Robin, protege of the Batman. Abilities include but are not limited to martial arts, a vast array of gadgets, and extensive training in a wide selection of weapons. Favored weapons, bat-a-rang and electrified eskrima sticks. Identity-" Batman cleared his throat loudly. She shrugged innocently. "What? I was going to say 'classified'."

There was a beeping noise and Batman touched a button on his glove, then turned and left without another word.

Beetle blinked "Okay, that was…"

"Batman," both Robin and Red Kite said in unison. Robin shot her a glare, which she ignored.

There was an awkward silence.

"Well this is awkward," Wonder girl said finally.

"Agreed," Superboy said.

"Do you want a tour?" Wonder girl asked.

"I downloaded the tower mainframe five minutes ago," she said nonchalantly. "I have a complete map of the entire tower."

"WHAT?!" Robin demanded. "What is Batman thinking?" He muttered.

"Is that how you knew so much about us?" West asked.

She smirked. "No. I already knew all that."

"Do you have powers?" Beetle asked.

"Nah. Just eight years of martial arts training, and a large variety of weapons. Oh, and training in virtually every weapon on the planet," she said.

"I bet you couldn't beat me," West bragged.

"You wanna test that theory?" She challenged.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked, standing.

She smirked. "You guys got a training room?"

In a few moments, Red Kite and Kid Flash were in the training room. She dropped her belt outside the training area.

"Why you doin' that?" West asked.

She smirked. "Just evening the odds."

"You're gonna wish you had that," he said cockily.

"No. I'm not."

"Ready. Set. Fight!" Wonder girl said, excitement shined in her eyes.

Kid Flash immediately stared running in circles around her. She could feel the air getting thinner. She marked his position, then dove forward, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

They were both up immediately. She blocked a punch and threw one of her own, they went into hand to hand combat, it was slightly difficult to keep up with him. He wasn't called Kid Flash for nothing.

"And here I heard you were some great fighter," he said with a laugh. He made the mistake of trying a round house kick.

She caught his foot, smirking at his look of surprise. "You heard right." She slammed him into the ground, pinning him down, he flipped her over, turning the tables.

"Gotcha."

Her legs flew up, wrapping around his neck and slamming him down onto the ground, she hand-springed back up into a standing position.

Kid Flash groaned, she held out a hand.

"Eat your words," she said with a smirk. He grumbled but took her hand.

"You've got some nice moves," Cyborg complimented. "Who trained you?"

"Classified," she said simply, clipping on her belt. "Now, what exactly do you people do during the day?" She asked.

"Depends," Robin shrugged. "Sometimes we have a mission-" He was cut off by a beeping noise. "Like that. Let's go."

She followed them into the mission room. Batman appeared on the screen.

"What's the mission Bats?" Robin asked.

_"__You all know of the robot Amazo. He's going to be driven in three parts to three different labs. One in Star City, New York, and Metropolis. Their are four additional trucks as decoys. The Titans will be guarding the four real transports."_

"Will do," Robin said. "What's the starting point?"

_"__You'll be meeting the trucks right outside Gotham."_

"Got it. We're on our way." The communication was cut. "You can borrow one of our bikes," he said to her, slightly grudgingly.

"Yes sir," she mock saluted. "I just wish we'd get some action."

Robin put the Titans in two squads of two and one squad of three. Cyborg and Kid Flash were beta, Wonder girl and Blue Beetle were delta, and Robin, Superboy and Red Kite were alpha.

Robin was annoyed that Batman had assigned Red Kite to his team without telling him. But he trusted his mentor/father and knew he had a reason. It was still frustrating. Red Kite drove him crazy.

"So what made you decide to be a hero?" Superboy asked.

Red Kite shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to use my training to help people."

"Where are you from?" Superboy asked.

"I grew up traveling. I'm not sure where I was born," she replied thoughtfully. "I should ask my parents. Anyway, I live in Gotham now."

"Guys, focus on the mission," Robin said.

"What? Nothing's happening," Red Kite said.

"But anything could Red," he replied.

She scowled. "Don't call me that."

He smirked. "Fine. Red."

She shot him a glare, coming dangerously close to the batglare. He'd already seen how she was immune to the 'batglare.' He wondered who trained her.

"If you call me that again, I swear I will-" Whatever threat she had planned was cut off by a shrill screeching. Spinning discs flew out of nowhere, hovering over the truck.

Superboy tapped a button on his bike and jumped off, landing on the truck. Red Kite drove up alongside the truck, also putting the bike on autopilot, and hung off the side of the truck, hanging by her sword, which she'd stuck in the truck.

He flipped off his bike and onto the truck, pulling out his eskrima sticks. The three teens started destroying the spinning discs. The shrieking continued.

One of the tired blew out. Superboy pulled the two drivers out and jumped as the engine was destroyed by the stupid discs.

"Time to bail," he said.

"Thanks Captain Obvious," Red Kite said as they jumped, going into an army roll to break the fall. He flipped up and threw several bat-a-rangs in rapid succession, taking out several discs. The discs shredded through the truck, they came out with the crate hanging from four of them.

"BOMB!" Red Kite shouted. Robin saw a silver sphere drop from one of the discs. Red Kite ran up to it.

"Red!"

She picked it up and threw it into the air, right as it exploded. All of them were blasted back. Robin picked himself up, groaning. His eyes widened.

"Red!" She was lying on her back, still. He shook her. "Wake up damn it!"

Her eyes snapped open and suddenly he was on his back, her knee on his chest. She jumped off of him.

"Sorry."

He stood. "Yeah." Superboy drove up on his bike, the two bikes followed. Both Robin and Red Kite mounted their bikes. Driving in the direction of the tracker he'd planted on the crate.

"All squads respond," Robin said into his comm.

_"__Beta squad was ambushed," _KF's voice came through._ "They took our Amazo part."_

_"__Delta squad here, we were attacked by spinning discs, they took our part, leaving a parting gift in bomb form," _Blue Beetle said.

"I placed a tracker on the crate, follow the signal I sent. Superboy and Kid Flash go ahead, we'll meet you at the source. It seems to be headed back to Gotham."

Superboy nodded, putting the bike on autopilot and jumping ahead.

"Good thinking Wonder Boy," Red Kite remarked.

He shot her an irritated glance, she smirked. "I know. Red."

It was her turn to look at him, annoyed.

They followed the tracer to a warehouse at the docks. Right as the bikes stopped, Superboy crashed through the roof. There was a shout from inside, Kid Flash.

"Come on!" Both he and Red Kite rushed inside.

Amazo was fully rebuilt, he was choking KF, a man sat on the edge of a crate, watching the fight. The flying discs hovered around him.

He took this in in a split second, immediately throwing a bat-a-rang at the robot. He phased, letting KF go in the process, the bat-a-rang exploded behind it.

_Access Superman_

Red lasers shot from Amazo's eyes, he dodged, his grappler latched onto a beam in the rafters, he swung forward, Amazo caught him by the leg and threw him down, he rolled and landed back on his feet.

_Access Black Canary_

Robin covered his ears at the supersonic Canary cry.

_Access Flash_

The noise disappeared. Kid Flash crashed into Red Kite. Red Kite pushed him off and jumped back into the fight, using Amazo as a springboard, landing a few feet away. The explosives she'd placed exploded, blasting Amazo back. Of course, it didn't hurt Amazo any, but it distracted him. And that was all Robin needed.

He bolted forward, placing an EMP on the temporarily fallen robot. Superboy crashed through the roof, slamming down on the robot, then melted it's head off.

There was a shout from behind them, Red Kite stood over the man, her sword at his throat.

Once in the warehouse, Red Kite immediately went for the man. His name was Jonah Gren. He was Drage's right hand man.

"Why hello-" She cut him off by slamming into him.

She ducked a flying disc, slicing through the next one. It took only seconds for her to take down the remaining ones. She was about to go after Gren, but was distracted by Kid Flash slamming into her.

She pushed him off.

"Watch it," she spat.

"Sorry for getting thrown by a freak robot," he shot back.

She jumped back in, using Amazo as a springboard and placing explosives on him. She knew it was the distraction Robin needed. She went after Gren again, slamming into him, feet first.

"Trying to escape?" She hissed, holding her sword to his throat. "Where's your boss?" She growled. "Where's Drage?"

She really wanted to kill him, but shoved down that impulse. She couldn't lose it. Not here. Not now.

Robin, Superboy and Kid Flash ran up. She glanced at Robin, talking to him with her eyes and body language. He gave her a slight nod. Superboy and Kid Flash looked at both of them uncertainly.

She sheathed her sword, Gren sighed in relief, relief that was short lived. She slammed him up against the wall. Kid Flash and Superboy started forward, but Robin stopped them.

"Where is Drage?" She snarled.

"You don't scare me," he sneered.

She smirked. "Your mistake." She pressed his face against the wall, twisting his arm behind his back painfully. "I'm going to give you to the count of three. One…two…three." There was a loud 'pop' and Gren screamed.

"Red Kite!" Kid Flash exclaimed. Robin shushed him, placing a hand on his arm.

She popped Gren's arm back into place. "Now that was step one, making you scream, your next scream will be cut off…permanently."

"Y-you heroes don't kill," he panted. "Everyone knows that."

"Who said I was a hero?" She hissed in his ear. "I'm new to this business, but I was trained by one of the best assassins in the world. I bet you've heard of the name Strike?" She felt him shudder. "Now, you can tell me where Drage is, or I can break every bone in your body, including your neck. Lastly of course." No one else could hear this.

Sweat trickled down his face.

Robin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Back down Red Kite, don't kill him. Yet." She dropped Gren on the ground.

"I swear I don't know where he is!" Gren said.

Robin squatted down, looking him in the eye. "Well I'm sorry to hear that. See, my friend here doesn't like human-traffickers, and I'm not sure how much longer I can restrain her," he said in an almost conversational tone.

Gren paled. "A deal! Drage is gonna do a deal with someone in Gotham. I swear that's all I know!"

Robin nodded. "Thanks. I think I may be able to convince my friend to let you live." He knocked Gren out with a sharp jab at a pressure point.

"What the hell was that?!" Kid Flash asked.

Red Kite smirked. "The oldest trick in the book. Good-cop bad-cop. Drake doesn't treat any of his men to good, that was only the newest of his second-ins." She started laughing. "Did you see his face? Priceless! He actually thought I was gonna kill him. Ha!"

"And you weren't," Superboy said.

She glanced at him. "Uh, no, duh."

Robin shrugged. "I must say, I'm surprised that worked."

Kid Flash and Superboy still seemed wary at Red Kite's brutality, but were a little more at ease.

"We got some good info," she remarked. "Now let's pass these guys off to the police and finish up."

Wonder girl and Blue Beatle and Cyborg came in, carrying five unconscious and tied up guys.

"Sorry, we ran into some trouble," Wonder girl said.

"Yeah, these guys attacked us, they were on some sort of drug," Blue Beatle said. "Really? I didn't know. Yes I know they were. Oh shut up."

Red Kite looked up at Blue uncertainly, but the others seemed to think it was normal. She brushed it off and examined the men. Or more specifically, the tubes that were connected to them.

She glanced at Robin, not showing her alarm. "Is this what I think it is?"

Robin looked at her grimly. "I think so."

"What?" Cyborg asked.

She looked at the unconscious men grimly. Both her and Robin answered at the same time.

"Venom."

She looked at Robin. "Things just got a whole lot more complicated."


	6. Opportunity

**Here we are! Finally back, sorry about that. You know, life. Unlike the previous chapter, this one is long! Enjoy!  
**_

**Chapter 6: Opportunity**

A week later, they still had no lead on the venom connection. Scarlet's less than normal life continued. The Titans seemed to trust her more now, which was good. She didn't trust them, not by a long shot, but that wasn't gonna happen for a long while.

All Scarlet wanted now, was a normal day, and today seemed to be that day. Hopefully. She got up at six o'clock, went through her exercise routine, then grabbed her backpack and headed out to school. She went to a public school in Gotham's less than steller areas.

She got there at exactly eight o'clock, thus avoiding having to talk to anyone. She sat down at her desk and pulled out a math test she'd almost finished the night before, but had fallen asleep.

She felt something flick the back of her head. She glanced behind her. One of the boys in her class, Logan or something, sniggered. She rolled her eyes, returning to her test. A moment later, something else hit her head. She closed her eyes a moment, then continued her test. Only seconds later, she got hit again.

She threw something over her shoulder, not having to look to know it hit it's target.

"Ow!"

She smirked glanced back with a smirk. She could feel his pitiful glare on her and ignored it.

_Sorry kid, I face the batglare every night. Your glare is utterly pathetic._

She couldn't help the satisfied smirk on her face.

She was just leaving her last class, when the teacher called her up to his desk.

"Yes sir?" She said in a questioning tone.

"Your grades have been excellent," he said.

"Thank you," she said uncertainly.

"And your record is spotless."

"Yes…"

He handed her an envelope. She took it. It was addressed to Kara Madison. She looked at him, he nodded encouragement.

She opened the envelope, but was barely short of shocked by the contents.

_To Miss Kara Madison,_

_You have been accepted to Gotham Academy on a full Wayne Scholarship for your performance in math, gymnastics, and swimming._

_You will be provided with all the supplies needed for school. Including a uniform, books, and a lunch card. Please respond to the Headmaster by the date of October 1st._

_Sincerely, Headmaster Jason Rame._

"Miss Madison?"

She snapped up. "I don't know what to say."

"You deserve it," he said kindly. "If your parents agree, this could be the chance of a lifetime."

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"Don't thank me, you did all the work."

She nodded. "I'll talk to my parents."

She hurried out. Her mind on the invitation. This could either be amazing, or horrible. But she was pretty sure she knew who was responsible for it. She couldn't believe he found out her ID. Already! She shook her head to clear it. She'd decide, just not right now.

That night Red Kite met Batman on patrol. As Batman observed movements on the docks through binoculars, she asked the question on her mind.

"Where's Robin?" She asked.

"He's not here."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks Captain Obvious. I meant, why is he not here?"

"Homework."

She nodded slightly. They met on the top of a roof. "Speaking of which, how'd you find out my alias-no, stupid question. Why'd you give me the scholarship?"

He barely spared her a glance. "What scholarship?" Her jaw clenched.

"I'm not some charity case," she snapped. "I'm doing fine on my own."

"Living in the rafters of an abandoned warehouse isn't what I would call fine," he said dryly.

"I'm doing fine. I have a job."

"Indeed. From eight to eleven at the Ice Burg Lounge where you use a fake I.D. and put on makeup to make it seem like you're twenty-one, which doesn't really work by the way. And then on Tuesdays and Thursdays at a fast-food joint from two a.m. to four a.m. You get barely two hours of sleep every night," he rattled off.

"Are you monitoring me?" She demanded.

"No."

"Then-" He abruptly jumped off the roof, signaling the end of that conversation. She blew out a puff of air in annoyance and followed. She'd gotten good at working with both Batman and Robin without having to speak.

She dropped down on someone with a gun, hitting another one with said gun while dodging gunfire.

"You guys make this way to easy," she said. "Oh look out, oops, sorry about your broken nose." She knocked out another gunman with a spinning kick, dodging one guy, allowing him to slam into another one, using his back as a springboard and doing a backward handspring to land on another guy.

That said, it only took a few minutes to subdue the rest of the men. They retreated to the rooftops, as Batman had already called the police.

"Sort of a random question, but do you trust me?" She asked suddenly. Batman glanced at her.

"Depends on what it is," he said.

"Say I didn't know your ID, would you trust me with it?" She asked.

"Maybe. But seeing as you know it, it's a pointless question."

She rolled her eyes. "Just tell me. Even knowing my…past," she started carefully. "Do you trust me?"

He studied her for a brief moment. "I have intel on a drug tradeoff on Saturday night at the docks. Be there. Right now, go home and get some sleep. You need it." Right before he left, he said one worked that shocked her.

She was frozen in shock. The question had been half joking, she didn't actually think he'd say yes.

Well, in the Bat language anyway.

Dick sat at the Batcave computer, doing some research on the new humantrafficking issue. He was pretty sure it was based in Mali, but couldn't be sure. They might have to do a recon mission.

Batman drove up in the Batmobile. Getting out and heading over to the changing room without a word.

"Long night?" He asked. Batman came out, Bruce once more.

"Fine."

"Sooo that was just you being your normal broody self?" He asked.

Bruce grunted, wrapping up what little injuries he had.

"I'll take that as a yes." He turned back to the info he'd collected. "Stop it," he said suddenly, turning back to his mentor.

"What?" Bruce asked.

He rolled his eyes. "You're analyzing me."

Bruce smiled. Well, his lips turned up slightly, Bruce's equivalent of a smile.

"You don't like her," Bruce remarked. It wasn't a question, it was a statement from someone who knew Dick quite well.

"Who?" He asked.

"Red Kite."

"I don't trust her," he said. "Or like her much," he added as an afterthought.

"And you're upset that I didn't tell you first," Bruce said.

"Would you quit it with the analyzing?" He snapped.

"I wanted you to get your own first impression," Bruce explained. Explained? Since when did Bruce explain? Bruce or Batman?

After a moment, he turned to face his mentor. "She's brutal. Really brutal. Like, you in a mood kind of brutal."

Bruce nodded. "As expected."

"I want to know who trained her," he said. "It doesn't say on her file."

Bruce looked him in the eye. "Her parents are ex-FBI agents."

He studied Bruce for a moment. "Fine. Don't tell me." He turned back to the computer. "I'll find out on my own."

A few day later, Scarlet had made her decision. She was going to Gotham Academy. It would make things a lot easier. She didn't have to spend money on books and supplies anymore. She might even be able to get an apartment soon.

October 1 was only a week and a half away.

Her comm beeped. It was the comm connected to Batman and Robin. She'd disabled the tracker.

"Red Kite."

_"__Titan's meeting. We have a mission."_

"Be there in five. Red Kite out."

_"__Robin out."_

She quickly suited up. Before teleporting to the tower, she left her safe house and went a good ways away, as not to be traced when she teleported. She touched pressed the black button on a small black remote-like thing. It was directly linked to the tower teleporter.

When the light faded, she was in the tower. It took her less than a minute to get to the briefing room. Everyone but Wonder girl was already there.

"Where's Cassie?" She asked.

"Wonder girl can't come," Robin answered. "Something about family."

"Ah."

Robin got down to business immediately. "Our mission is in Florida. A large amount of human trafficking is coming out of there." She tensed. "The traffickers are supposedly led by Grant Drage. Though we don't know if he's actually going to be there. It's a high chance that his new second-in will be there."

"Are we going to fly there?" Kid Flash asked.

Robin nodded. "We'll probably get there around eight p.m."

They headed to the hanger, loading into the jet. Robin piloted, Superboy was co-pilot. Unfortunately, Red Kite had not yet gained their trust enough for them to let her fly co-pilot.

All well. Maybe if she survived Kid Flash's chattering she could next time.

Like Robin estimated, they arrived in Florida at around eight o'clock. Scarlet jumped out of the jet before it was shut down.

"Crap that was a long flight," she said, stretching. "Ugh." The rest of the team got out in a more dignified fashion.

"So what's first?" She asked. Robin shot her an exasperated look. She shrugged. "What?"

"This is a recon mission-" he touched a button on his wrist, the jet turned invisible.

"Cool."

"-There are a three different places we've been able to narrow it down to. The docks in Freeport. four of the warehouses are owned by a Josh Kane, one of Drage's known alias, Marsh Harbor, warehouse owned by Franklin Arden, and a privately owned ranch near the Wildlife Management Area. Alpha squad is Blue Beatle and Kid Flash, you'll be investigating the Free port lead, Delta is Superboy and Cyborg, you're on Marsh Harbor. Red Kite and I are Beta, we're on the ranch. Maintain radio silence unless absolutely necessary."

The Titans did as told, and Red Kite was left with the Boy Wonder.

"So why did you assign me on a team with you," she asked. He simply touched a button on his wrist, a bike zoomed out of the jet. She, likewise, got her own bike.

"You don't trust me, do you?" She asked.

After a moment of silence, Robin finally answered. "I trust Batman."

"But you don't trust me," she pointed out. He was silent. "That's fine. It's logical. I'm new, but you can give me a chance," she said.

"I was taught to never trust anyone," he said finally.

She shot him a glare, zooming ahead and tossing a final sentence back.

"So was I."

_"__So was I."_

Robin pondered those three simple words. It could have several different meanings. It could be a threat, a warning, a statement, it just depended.

"Batman told me about the League meeting," he remarked.

Red Kite glanced over. "Oh? And what'd you think?"

"I think it's impressive that you know so many languages, and that you used them to avoid the lasso's power."

She chuckled slightly. "You shoulda seen Wonder Woman's face. That was funny."

"You do know that the League hates you," Robin pointed out.

Red Kite shrugged. "Who cares? 'sides, I think Wonder Woman may have been impressed."

"So do you have all their ID's to?" He asked. "Carefully filed away for future use?"

Red Kite snickered. "Yeah. I didn't tell them that though."

"Who would?"

She glanced at him. "So have you decided to give me a chance?" She asked.

He gave a slight nod. "But this isn't baseball. It's one strike and you're out."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said thoughtfully.

"I found out your ID," he remarked.

A funny look ghosted across her face, but disappeared so fast that he wondered if he'd seen it at all.

"I didn't doubt that you would," she said.

"Kara Madison," he said aloud. "Interesting name. What I need to find out now, is wether it's real or not." He could see her tense. "It's probable that it's an alias. After all, there was no transport records for anyone by the name of Kara Madison that would be your age in the last fifty years, to or from Gotham."

"Can't get everything perfect," she said nonchalantly.

His voice suddenly became cold. "I'm telling you now, as a warning, if you betray us, you will regret it more than anything in your life." He paused, than added as an afterthought, "I'll find out your secrets. Eventually."

Her eyes darkened. "You may not like what you find."

They left their bikes on the edge of the property, camouflaging them. At the moment, they were crossing the enemies corn field.

"I don't like this," Red Kite murmured. "It's to closed in, I can't see anything, and I don't like relying on infrared."

"I agree," Robin said. "But we'll be less likely to run into anyone. At least without hearing it first."

"What about arial?"

"It's to tall and dense," he said simply. He touched a few buttons on his glove, a holograph of, presumably where they were, popped up.

"So what exactly do we expect to find here?" She asked. He didn't look up from the holograph.

"This place utilizes a lot of electricity, most of it centering on this place." He pointed to a little red blinking dot. "It's a barn/lodging for the employees, supposedly."

"How do we get in?" She asked.

"There's a backdoor entrance, but the security is pretty good," Robin replied.

She smirked. "That won't be a problem."

"You good with tech?" He questioned.

She shrugged. "Yeah. My tech is some of the best in the world."

"I'll take your word for it," he replied. She looked at him in surprise, opening her mouth to say something, but he cut her off.

"Shh, we're here." They exited the corn field, crawling up to the crest of a hill that overlooked the barn. Several trucks were out front, they were unloading straw bales. Or at least what appeared to be straw. They were unloading the last of it.

"Can you get a wireless connection?" He murmured.

She nodded, typing in a few commands on her own glove computer. A moment later, a red warning label popped up. She bit back a growl.

"Damn it." Robin looked at her. "I can't do it without risking detection from here. But once inside, I can plug in and hack it."

"Then we'll just have to get closer," Robin said. "We'll have to wait until the trucks leave."

"I bet we can sneak in, it's almost dark," she said.

"And the trucks will probably gone by dark," Robin said, sounding irritated.

She rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see it under the mask. "Fine fine, point taken."

About thirty minutes later, the trucks were gone and a sliver of a moon shown in the sky. Robin tapped a button on his mask to switch on his infrared. He spotted two men on the 'barn' rooftop, and three more on the ground. He turned on the night vision, giving a short nod to Red Kite, who returned the gesture. No words were needed. Robin moved swiftly and silently. He hated being in such an open area, but it was unavoidable.

They slipped through the side door quietly, successfully avoiding detection. They hid behind a crate as two men came by, chatting idly.

"I don't see why the boss has us patrolling this place, the security's supposed to do that," one said.

"Well you can question him if you want, but not me, I'd like to keep my head," the other replied. "You seen those scars he's got?" He shuddered. "Ugh."

"I heard that he was targeted by one of the best assassins in the world."

"Who?"

"Deathstroke. No one knows why though, or if there is any particular reason." The conversation turned to unconcerning things as the voices faded.

He looked at Red Kite to see a grim smirk on her face. Honestly, she sometimes scared him. She was sometimes too brutal, it made him wonder at her past. But there was something undeniably familiar about her. He sensed that her lighthearted demeanor was simply a mask, a facade, shielding the true Red Kite.

They came to a metal door. They looked at each other.

_This is what we're looking for. _

Red Kite plugged her wrist computer into the key-pad that popped up.

"Time star," she muttered. He didn't know what that meant, but didn't have time to question it. He turned on his infrared.

"Two guards coming around the side, ETA twenty seconds."

She pursed her lips. "Come on, come on. Yes!" The door opened soundlessly and they slipped inside, the door closing softly behind them. They were confronted by a narrow stair well, leading down.

He sensed that any words would echo. Red Kite pointed to the metal grate above them. The following conversation went something like this:

Red Kite: _Air vent, could be our best bet_

Robin: _No, it makes to much noise_

Red Kite: _I'm willing to bet we can make it work_

Robin (glaring): _No_

Footsteps sounded. Red Kite glanced at him, he grimaced, but held out his hands. She placed a booted foot in them and unscrewed the grating in a matter of seconds. She pulled herself up, then pulled him up after her, replacing the grate.

A man past, exiting through the door.

_To close._

They crawled through the vents as quietly as possible. Red Kite tapped him on the shoulder, he turned. She pointed to a place in the map she'd downloaded, it was labeled 'merchandise'. She nodded grimly, confirming his thoughts.

Robin and Red Kite headed for it. They didn't have a definite plan for getting anyone out. This was supposed to be a covert op.

They came upon the room. He bit back an angry snarl. Children from five to fifteen were huddled in the corner of the room. Maybe fifteen in all. He glanced at Red Kite. Her face was focused on the kids, her face held so much anger and hatred that it scared him a little.

He placed a hand on her arm, she jerked slightly, looking at him. He squeezed her arm slightly, giving her a reassuring nod. She took a deep breath, when she opened her eyes again, her face became impassive.

He gave a little nod, turning back to the scene before them. Two men stood by the door, guns resting in their hands. Red Kite gave him a slightly questioning look.

He typed something into his wrist computer, holding it up for her to see.

_We need to contact Alpha and Delta. Then make our move._

She typed something in.

_They might be gone by then._

Robin: _It's a risk we'll have to take._

She scowled. _One I'm not going to take._

Before he could say or do anything, she dropped down, taking out the guards with swift cold precision. He followed her, grumbling under his breath.

"Not the smartest move Red."

Red Kite dropped down, taking out the guards quickly, Robin followed.

"Not the smartest move Red," he muttered.

"If you were me, you'd understand," she hissed.

The kids in the corner looked at them, hope shining in their eyes. She placed a finger to her lips. They all understood the universal gesture. She drew her sword, breaking the chains with ease.

"Follow us," she said softly. "But keep quiet." She knew she could make things a lot easier, but didn't. She didn't want to use them. Not here, not now, not ever.

She typed a few commands into her wrist computer, opening the door through the hacked mainframe. They hurried up the halls, taking out any surprised guards along the way.

Finally coming up and out of the underground facility. Kid Flash zoomed up, Cyborg and Superboy crashed through the roof.

"Boy do you ever know how to make an entrance," Robin said. "You got my message."

Kid Flash snorted. "Duh."

"Alright, KF, Superboy and Cyborg get them out of here, Red Kite, Blue Beatle and I will hold off these guys," Robin commanded. "Civilians are number one priority."

They immediately obeyed. She dodged gunfire, throwing several explosives. She looked inside a blown-open crate. Her eyes widened.

"Oh shit."

Robin looked over. "What?"

She pulled out a vile of yellowish liquid. "Venom." Robin cursed.

"Alright, we'll take care of that later, right now we need to-" He was cut off by a loud explosion. She jumped up onto a crate, blocking bullets with her sword.

"Little less talking, lot more fighting," she said over the noise. Robin threw a bat-a-rang, it exploded on impact. She jumped down, slicing a gun in half and kicking another away.

"Where on earth did you get that sword?" Robin asked, clearly surprised at how good it was.

She smirked. "Who said anything about earth?"

"Look out!"

Robin's warning came to late, something slammed into her, making her hit the wall with a painful thud. She groaned, shaking her head to try and clear some of the bright spots. She looked up to see…oh crap.

She rolled out of the way of a giant fist. Four Venom-enhanced men advanced on her. Robin threw an explosive at two, drawing their attention. She flipped out of the way of another punch, back on her feet.

She weaved in and out, getting in distracting hits, aiming for pressure points. Blue Beatle blasted one of them back with a sonic blast. She needed to focus, but not tunnel vision. She jumped up onto one of their back, slashing the tubes connected to them, she jumped up onto the next one, dodging a punch that would have killed her.

It took them a very short time to subdue the men, and some woman. They exited the more than slightly broken building to find themselves surrounded by police cars.

Red Kite rolled her eyes, she somehow knew Robin was doing the same, their eyes met. Both threw down smoke bombs, covering their escape. Blue Beatle grabbed her around the waist while Kid Flash got Robin.

"Put me down," she ground out. "Put me down or I will cut off your arm," she threatened.

"Calm down Red," Beatle said. She scowled.

"Don't call me that," she snapped. Both Robin and Red Kite were dropped near their bikes. She turned and hit the Beatle with a round-house kick to the head.

"What the hell was that for?" He exclaimed, cursing in Spanish.

She growled. "Don't ever. _Ever_. Touch me," she hissed.

"Stop Red," Robin said. "He was just trying to help."

She slid onto her bike, revving the engine and desperately trying to block out the memories.**  
_**

**Maybe not my best, but it get's better! Stick with me guys. Rrrrrrreview! REVIEW review review, I like that word, review, it sounds cool, not like bob or something, more like Mr. Freeze cool. Huh? Huh? I bet you all think I'm an insane girl with a writing fetish, well, listen closely and never forget, because someday, your life may depend on it, I AM an insane girl with a writing fetish.**

**Adios!**


	7. Richard Grayson

**I'm so sorry for the wait. I've been busy with school, work and, well, you know life. But I won't keep you waiting. Here you go: Chapter 7  
_**

**Chapter 7**

**Richard Grayson**

KF told them that they'd gotten the children to safety, handing them over to the police. As soon as they got back to the tower, she headed to the teleport and left without a word.

Back in the relative safety of the warehouse, she changed into comfortable sweats and a tee-shirt. Thank god she didn't work on Saturday. It was already one a.m. She'd trained herself to sleep in pretty much any position. Tonight, she slept leaning against the wall, one leg hanging over the beam, the other stretched out.

She then closed her eyes and tried to block out the world.

_She knelt in the Gotham Cemetery, gazing at the three gravestones. Dry-eyed and expressionless. She'd asked for a few minutes alone, before the police took her to an orphan home or something. _

_"__I'm sorry," she whispered, tears falling, unbidden. "I'm so, so, sorry. I should have warned you, I should have saved you."_

_Mom, Dad, James…all dead. All gone. Because of her._

_She closed her eyes. Slowly taking in shaky breaths, she climbed to her feet, scrubbing away the tears._

_"__I promise I'll find the people who did this to you," she whispered, fire burning in her young eyes. "I promise."_

_She stood, turning. She bit back a scream at the sight of the tall man, he had a gun trained on her. He shoved a cloth onto her face and everything went black…_

_…_

_…__She came to slowly. Opening her eyes to a dark, dank room. Her hands were chained to the floor. The door opened and a big man walked in. She shrank down._

_"__You're a special order," he said. "Someone's payin' a lot of money for you. Why I don't know, but hey, as long as I get my green." He grabbed her chin roughly. "I can't see what's so special."_

_She was little, but her baby teeth were sharp, she bit down on his hand as hard as she could._

_He shouted, jumping back. "You're lucky I'm getting such a good price, or I'd just kill you."_

_She tried to appear unafraid. "Bastard," she spat. "I know who you are, you were the one who killed my family. I'll make you pay."_

_He laughed nastily. "Apparently you don't understand your situation. I could snap your neck like a twig. Or put a bullet in you, like your mommy and daddy and brother."_

_"__You won't though. Someday I'll make you pay. I'll kill you."_

_He laughed again. "I sincerely doubt that." She struggled weakly at the chains. "But just to make sure you don't try and escape…" He threw something. She cried out in pain as the knife embedded itself in her shoulder._

_In the days that followed, only one thought in her young mind held her together, the thought that some day, some how, she would kill the man responsible for their deaths. _

A few days later, Scarlet found herself in a too-short skirt in the courtyard of Gotham Academy. She took deep breath, hitching her bag higher up on her shoulders. She knew how to keep a low profile, it came with the job. She made sure to get there a few minutes early.

She sat quietly at her desk, doodling on a piece of scrap paper. A little memory popped into her mind, one of the few good ones.

_"__You're a good drawer." She smiled at her friend._

_"__Thanks. I'll get better."_

_"__Draw a picture of Tezina," he said._

_She proceeded to draw a picture of the siamese cat. It was pretty good, for a six year old._

She shook her head. That was a long time ago. Students filed in, one in particular caught her attention as he sat down at the desk beside her.

"New here huh?" Richard Grayson said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes. "Indeed."

He chuckled. "You sound like Alfred."

She wrinkled her nose. "Who?"

"Oh you haven't met him, _Kara_." He tried the name out, saying it once more. He pursed his lips. "Hmm, doesn't quite suit you."

"Why the sudden interest?" She asked, leaning back in her chair.

He shrugged. "You are going to my school."

"Possessive much?" She smirked.

"You have no idea."

A few hours later, Scarlet walked through the halls. She couldn't remember where her next class was. She'd finished lunch only a few minutes ago. She came to the girls stood there, giggling about something or other.

"Hey, do any of you know where-"

"Oh, you're the little charity case."

She blinked. "Excuse me?" She recognized the girl who'd spoken as someone from her gym class. She was a girl from one of the elite families of Gotham, also a very popular girl who was trying to get Dick Grayson to go out with her. Her name was Donna Glade.

School gossip.

"The one Bruce Wayne gave the scholarship to," Glade said. "A pity you couldn't have been prettier."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the shallowness. "I'm just lookin' for my class."

Glade glared at her suddenly. "I saw you talking to Richard, let me warn you, he is my boyfriend, and no charity case is going to change that."

Scarlet smiled pityingly. "Oh please, we both know that's not true. One, I got the scholarship because I'm good, two, Grayson is a friend of mine. I didn't just meet him, and three, you're definitely not his girlfriend."

Glade reddened. "Don't get smart with me girl-"

"Sorry to cut you short, but I have class," she said. "Ta ta dear." She walked past the glaring teen, she saw her put out her foot to trip her, but failed to realize who she'd fall into.

She tripped, and a handsome teen caught her.

"Careful."

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Richard."

She dusted off nonexistent dirt. "Donna was just telling me that you two were dating," she said.

Grayson raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry to say I wasn't informed."

Glade was crimson in embarrassment. "I-er, I didn't, you miss heard."

She cocked an eyebrow at the very embarrassed girl. "I see. Well, sorry, but I have class." She nodded to Grayson. "Thanks for the catch."

As she walked away, she realized that she _still _didn't know where her class was.

Scarlet opened the door to the apartment building she now lived in.

She'd finally gotten an apartment. It was in a very dirty, cheep part of Gotham. But it was something she could afford. It was near the famous Crime Alley.

She tossed her bag on the floor, flopping down on the couch, rubbing her eyes. Her hand came back tan. She sighed. Her makeup was coming off.

Her phone buzzed.

She picked it up. "Madison residence."

_"__Hey Red."_

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not even going to ask how you got this number Grayson," she said.

_"__Probably good."_

"What exactly do you want?"

_"__I was nominated to call and ask if you wanted to have Thanksgiving at the mansion."_

"Thanksgiving?"

_"__Yeah."_

She bit her lip. This could be bad.

"Who's idea is this?" She asked.

_"__Alfred." _She'd only ever heard about the butler, but she only heard good things.

She heard a bang from next door. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"I'll think about it, I gotta go."

_"__Ok, bye."_

"Bye." She stuck the phone in her pocket and exited her room. There were several shouts from the room next to her's. She was about to knock when it was shoved open and someone fell out onto her. She caught them on instinct. The door slammed shut.

The person was a young boy, maybe ten or eleven. He was small and scrawny, but he had a defiant glare in his eyes. His clothes were practically rags. He had red hair and green eyes.

"You okay?" She asked gently. He practically jumped out of her arms.

"I'm fine," he said angrily, wiping his bloody nose. He had a gash on his cheek.

"Come with me," she said. "I can help you with that cut."

He backed up. "No, I don't need your help."

She sighed in exasperation. "Yes you do, if it doesn't get treated than it'll get infected. I can help you, I won't hurt you."

He stared at her. She went back into her room, leaving the door open. She went into the kitchen where she kept her bandages and medical stuff.

The kid slowly stepped in, looking around as if searching for danger, which he probably was.

"Sit right there," she directed, pointing to the stool. He hesitated. "Look kid, if you want that to get infected, be my guest." He glared at her, but sat down.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked.

She looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Why. Are. You. Helping. Me?" He said it slowly.

She shrugged. "You need help."

"Do you know how to do that?" He asked, eyeing the first-aid kit carefully.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, my mom's a nurse."

"Where are they?" He looked around.

She bit her lip. "Out. Now hold still." She wiped the dirt and blood from the cut, frowning.

"How did you get this?"

His eyes darkened. "I don't have the best father in the world."

She nodded. "Ah." She grimaced. "You may need stitches."

"Do you know how to do that?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Maybe we should wait for you mom."

She shook her head. "They won't be home for hours."

He got off the chair, starting to leave. "You don't have to help me, it's fine."

She rolled her eyes. "Come back here right now. Open your ears kid, that will get infected, and then I might not be able to help."

"Nobody does anyway," he muttered.

She sighed. "Come on, the stitches will hurt, I don't have any numbing stuff or anything, but it'll be better. And we both know that you won't be going to the hospital."

He sighed slightly. "Your mom isn't a nurse, is she? Do you even have a mom?"

The needle she held between her fingers snapped. "What?"

"If she was a nurse, you'd probably want to wait for her," he pointed out. "And if she was alive, this place wouldn't be so bare."

She looked around at the two pieces of furniture. The bedroom wasn't any better.

"Regardless, I still know how to patch you up," she said. "I've been doing it to myself for years." She internally cursed herself for slipping up on the last sentence. She tossed the broken needle in the trash.

He looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Just sit down so I can help you," she said in exasperation. He slowly obeyed, obviously curious. "I'm not gonna lie, this is gonna hurt," she said.

He nodded. "That's okay."

She raised an eyebrow, but let it slide. She dabbed at the cut with antiseptic, he sucked in a sharp breath. She threaded a new needle and stitched up the cut with quick efficiency.

"There, done."

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"You're welcome."

"You said you've been patching yourself up for years, why? Family?"

She thought back on her mentor. "Sort of."

"Is that what happened there?" He pointed to her eye. Her eyes widened. The makeup! She cursed herself for her thoughtlessness. But looked the kid in his green eyes nonetheless.

"Er, yeah." She bit her lip.

"How old are you?" He asked suddenly.

She looked at him in surprise. "Fifteen."

He frowned. "Hmm. I should probably go," he said, backing towards the door. "Bye."

"My name is Kara Madison, by the way," she said.

He called over his shoulder. "Jason Todd." He waved. She waved back as she closed the door behind him.

She went into the bathroom, gazing into the cracked mirror. She traced the scar that ran from her eyebrow to below her cheekbone. When she was out, she had it concealed with makeup, when she was fighting, her mask covered it. She was the only person alive who knew about it. Besides Deathstroke.

And now this kid, Jason, he'd seen it. She felt a sort of connection, maybe because they both have crappy home-lives, maybe because he seemed so alone. Whatever the case, she resolved to try and help him. It wouldn't be easy, she could see the brokenness in his eyes, he was hurt, in more ways than one. But she understood. She could help.  
**_**

**R. E. V. I. E. W. spells REVIEW! Please review! **


	8. Scarecrow

**AAAHH! I****'****m SO sorry for the wait! I know I know, no excuse, but I really am sorry. Because of the wait, this chapter is extra long. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Scarecrow**

Scarlet walked through the halls of Gotham High. It was three days before Thanksgiving. She still hadn't decided wether or not to go. She was attracted to the idea, but it jeopardized her situation. And if she was honest with herself, she didn't want to spend time with Grayson. Not now.

She shook these thoughts from her head, entering the cafeteria. It was lunch time.

"Hey Kara!" Speakin' of the devil. She turned.

"Grayson."

"So have you decided?" He asked.

"No," she said simply.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh come on. Your parents are also invited."

_Parents. What a lovely luxury._

"I haven't talked to them about it," she said.

"Just like you haven't told them about your 'night job'?"

She stuck her tongue at him in a very childish way.

"I take that as a no. Spend some time with friends," he said, poking her.

"You guys are more of…acquaintances," she said, smirking.

"Hey!" She ducked a playful whack and darted to the counter. She knew he didn't like her, he just acted like that to annoy her. After getting her food, she went to sit down at a small table in the corner.

"Kara."

"What do you want Grayson?" She asked in exasperation. Said brunette rolled his eyes.

"There's someone I want you to meet." Behind Grayson was a pretty red head.

She stood. "Kara Madison." She held out a hand. The red head shook it.

"Barbara Gordan."

"Oh, you're the commish's kid," she remarked.

Gordan rolled her eyes. "I suppose I'll be known as the 'commish's kid forever'," she said in exasperation.

Scarlet laughed. "One of the reasons I like not having famous parents," she said, looking at Grayson. He rolled his eyes again.

"I've been trying to get Kara to come for Thanksgiving," he said, the two of them sat down.

"Let me guess, Alfred's idea," Gordan said. Grayson nodded.

"You know it."

"So how'd you and Dick meet?" Gordon asked.

"My father is something of a maintenance man," she answered quickly. "About four years ago, he did some work at Haly's. That's when we met, then when we moved to Gotham a few months ago and I started coming here, we met again."

Grayson gave her a look that clearly said 'I can't believe you have that all figured out.'

Gordan nodded. "I see. So why don't you want to go to Thanksgiving at the manor?"

She bit her lip. "Well, I'm not really a…people person."

"Obviously," Gordan said, looking around at her little corner. "What about your parents? What do they think?"

Her stomach did a flip-flop. "They…aren't around much."

Gordan looked embarrassed and sorry. "I-sorry, I didn't-"

"It's fine," she interrupted with a laugh. "Don't sweat it."

"I think you'd like going to Thanksgiving at the manor," Gordan said firmly. "Alfred's cooking is amazing."

"I'll think on it," she said, smiling. _Maybe._

* * *

_Two days to Thanksgiving. Well, more like one night._

She absentmindedly wiped down a counter. It was around ten thirty a.m. her shift ended in thirty minutes. She worked at the Ice Burg Lounge a couple days a week. Makeup made it easy to look older.

"So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Joan, another waitress, asked.

"I don't know, nothing much," she replied.

Suddenly there was a crash, followed by shouting. Bane crashed through the wall, slamming into the far wall. She stumbled back as both Batman and Robin flew in. Bane got in a lucky shot and Robin flew back, hitting the wall right next to her.

Their eyes met. The white lenses widened, his mouth parted slightly in shock.

"Look out!" She shouted. He jumped to the side, barely missing the huge fist. She grabbed the thing nearest to her, a big metal thermos, and smashed Bane on the head with it, following up with a round-house kick to the head.

Batman and Robin took over, swiftly bringing the venom pumped mercenary down.

They didn't stop to chat, duh, but left quickly, taking Bane with them. She leaned against the wall, her heart pounding. Robin was probably fuming. And why should he not be? She lied. A huge lie. He'd look into her past now. Oh god, she couldn't even think about if he found out.

"Yo girl! That was way cool!" A voice said, breaking her from her thoughts, she glanced at Joan. "How'd you do that? You were like, going all ninja!"

She laughed shakily. "I don't know, adrenaline."

"Hey you don't look so hot," Joan said. "You're pale as a sheet."

"Yeah, I think I might turn in early," she said. "If I can."

"Go ahead, I'll make up an excuse for you," Joan said.

"Thanks," she smiled. "Thanks a lot." She grabbed her jacket and hurried out. She couldn't stand the thought of him finding out.

* * *

She hurried home, sticking to the shadows and dodging sketchy loiterers. She arrived home without incident. For once. She closed and locked her bedroom door, collapsing on the bed. She turned her head, glancing out the window, a white paper was stuck to the window. She went over, reading the words.

Pete's Coffee. They're open all night. Twelve thirty. You have some serious explaining to do.

R

She groaned, resting her forehead on the cool glass. An explanation.

_I guess I owe him that much._

She stood, grabbing her bag again and walking out. The walk to the coffee shop gave her time to clear her head. She got there at exactly twelve thirty. The bell rang as she entered.

"What'll it be?" A girl was at the counter, not much older than Scarlet.

"Latte," she said, sitting down at the bar. She payed, grabbed the coffee, an headed to one of the tables in the far corner. Moments later, a black hair-blue eyed fifteen year old sat down on the far bench.

"Grayson."

"Madison."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Coffee? At twelve thirty?" Grayson said.

She took a sip. "I start patrol at about one. Keeps me awake."

"You, a fifteen year old, work at a bar at night, in Gotham. You're parents do what exactly? Explain."

She met his eyes. "Dead."

He seemed slightly taken aback by the deadpan tone, though not to surprised.

"So you're on your own. Why'd you lie?" He asked. "I sort of thought you might have started to trust us."

"B knows," she said unhelpfully.

"Course. He knows everything," he said, somewhat bitterly.

"Don't blame him, I asked him not to tell," she said.

"So there's no truth in your file?" Grayson asked.

She shrugged. "I'm a girl. I'm fifteen."

He rolled his eyes. "Right. Thanks. You gonna tell me the truth?" She stared at her coffee. "Seriously?"

"Flamebird," she said softly.

His eyes widened. "You-?" Understanding flashed in his eyes. "That's why you didn't want to be on a team."

She nodded. "We were a covert team. Very few people or heroes knew we existed. Then Bermuda happened. It was just a rescue op. Save as many people from the earthquake as we could. But then the volcano exploded."

"The cave records say the entire team died," he said.

"Icicle, Artemis, Jinx, Smasher," she recited their names. "The volcano took me by surprise. I should have known it, expected it even. They all died. So here I am."

"But who trained you?" Grayson asked. "The files have almost nothing on Flamebird."

"I want to keep it that way," she snapped. She stood. "I have to go."

He grabbed her wrist, she turned, but the look in his eyes stopped her, it was sorrow, but also understanding.

"The door's open if you change your mind about tomorrow," he said.

She nodded.

_Maybe._

* * *

When Dick arrived back at the cave, it was empty. He went to the computer, going to the files on Red-Flamebird's team.

Icicle's real name was Dean Carner. He got ice powers in a lab accident. His parents died in the accident. He dropped off the radar for a few years, but then reappeared on a covert team with four other heroes.

Artemis was the daughter of Sportsmaster, she was an expert bowman and martial artist. After abandoning a mercenary career, she also joined the team.

Smasher, aka Donald Rease, was born with super strength and almost unbreakable skin. He was an orphan. After saving a bus at age sixteen, he too disappeared, appearing two years later on the team. He was an orphan.

Jinx, aka Andrea Wilson. Daughter of Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke. At ten, she escaped from Deathstroke, Flamebird apparently found her and trained her. She had earth powers.

Flamebird. ID unknown. Origin unknown. Powers? If there, unknown.

Flamebird was the leader of their team. She first formed it with Icicle and Jinx, then Artemis, then Smasher. The entire team had supposedly died in the volcano eruption in Bermuda only five months ago.

He could understand why she wanted to keep that under wraps.

"To be honest I'm surprised she told you," Bruce said, coming up behind him.

"Me to," he muttered. "Something like this…it hurts for a long time."

"So you understand now," Bruce said. He nodded.

"But why did you want her to join the team?" He asked.

"She needs to move on," Bruce replied. He seemed…sad.

"I know this sounds kinda cold, but why do you care so much?" He asked.

Bruce was silent.

"Do you know her?" He asked, suspicious.

"Shortly before I finished my training, there was a monastery in Europe, near Tibet," Bruce said. "I trained there for about a year. There was a girl there, young, maybe six or seven. She had been captured by human traffickers, she escaped and found refuge at the monastery. They, apparently, started training her at her request."

Dick was surprised, but not shocked. "What happened to her?"

"She disappeared after around a year, I never knew what happened to her," Bruce said.

"Does Red Kite know?" He asked.

His mentor shook his head. "No. And I don't plan on telling her."

"I assume I'm not allowed to tell her either?" He said.

"Correct."

He rolled his eyes, standing up and shutting off the computer.

"What's for dinner?" He asked as they headed to the elevator.

"Alfred made salmon."

"You think Kara will come?" He asked.

Bruce frowned. "I don't know."

* * *

The next day, Scarlet lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She'd only just got back from school. She missed Andy. And Dean. Dean…he died saving her. She gazed at the picture of the team. Dean had his arm slung over her shoulders, flashing a peace sign with that adorable cocky smile. Donnie was planting a kiss on Artemis cheek, who had a little brown haired girl peeking out from behind her, Kira, and Andy sat on Dean's shoulders, rolling her eyes at the world.

"I miss you," she whispered. She could almost hear Dean's voice telling her to not be such a mope and get on with her life. He'd probably tell her to get over herself and spend time with Grayson. As if.

She got up, entering the kitchen and pulling out a small book from the cupboard above the stove. She flipped it open to one of the pages. It was labeled;

_Mom__'__s Casserole_

She rolled her eyes skyward. "Ok mom. I'm gonna give it a go. Don't laugh please. Wherever you are."

Two hours later, she had two steaming casseroles on the kitchen counter. She looked at them happily. It was quite a bit easier then she'd first thought it would be. She exited her room and knocked on the door to 312. It was opened by a woman, she was thin and pale. Scarlet could make out little dots along her arms.

She took a calming breath. She knew those signs. "Are you Mrs. Todd?" She asked.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "What's it t'you?"

"I'm looking for Jason," she said.

The woman started to close the door. "He's not here."

"Wait-" The door shut and there was the audible click of the lock. She went back into her room with a small sigh. She heard a clattering at the window, she went and looked out. Clinging to the fire escape and fiddling with the window on room 312 was none other than Jason Todd.

"Having trouble?" She asked. He jumped, almost falling off.

He relaxed ever so slightly when he saw her. "What's it to you?"

She rolled her eyes at the snarky comment. "Come in here." He didn't.

She went in, grabbed the smaller of the casseroles and came back, he was still there.

"Happy Thanksgiving," she said, setting it on the sill.

He stared at it in unmasked shock. "What?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Happy Thanksgiving." He was still shocked. "It's not poisoned, if that's what you're wondering," she said. She turned. "Come on in if you want some." She went over to the table and got out two plates. She smirked when she heard Jason come in.

"Why exactly are you being so…" He searched for the word. "Nice..?"

She gestured to a chair. "Oh I don't know, you look hungry."

"You're not that much older than me," he said. "But you act like you are."

She snorted. "Not much? Kid, you're what, eight, nine-?"

"Nine."

"Okay, I'm six years older," she said.

He shrugged. "Whatever."

She set a piece of casserole on his plate. "Manja."

"What's that mean?" He asked.

"It means eat in Italian," she replied. He sniffed it, took a tiny bite, then gobbled it down. She'd never seen anyone eat so fast. "Good?" She asked, laughing lightly.

He nodded, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Who taught you?"

She took a bite of her own. "My mom." For a split second, he looked sad, envious even.

"Lucky," he muttered, almost imperceptibly.

"Hey, kid," she got his attention. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said, practically defensive. "And I have a name."

"Sure kid." She smiled at his look of annoyance. "Where's your dad?"

"What?" He seemed surprised by the question.

"Your father, your male parent," she said.

He was defensive now, shields up, sword drawn. "Why do you want to know?"

She sighed. "Look kid, I already know about the abuse, and I haven't gone to the police. I know what they'd do about it, I also know what an orphan home, or, more likely the juvie, is like. I'm not gonna go to the police."

Jason seemed a little surprised, but not much.

"Thanks, I guess." They sat in silence for a moment. "Who's the other one for?" He asked finally, gesturing to the other casserole.

"Don't change the subject," she said. "Your dad?"

He grumbled something under his breath. "Don't know. He said he had a job."

_That _didn't sound good.

"Oh." Her phone rang. Jason stood.

"I gotta go, thanks, bye." He practically raced out. She shook her head sadly. Gotham was such a horrible place for kids.

"Hello?" She said into the phone.

"_Madison,__"_ it was Grayson. _"__You up tonight?__" _

"Yeah I'm on," she replied, knowing he was talking about patrol.

"_We got intel on the Scarecrow. Docks at eleven fifteen p.m.__"_

"Will do," she replied. "Oh and about tomorrow…"

"_You coming?__"_

"Yeah."

"_Cool. See you tonight.__"_

"See ya."

She flipped the phone closed, sighing a little.

_Here we go__…_

* * *

Red Kite arrived at the docks at five after eleven. Batman and Robin were perched on a warehouse adjacent to the one Scarecrow was supposed to be in.

"Nice of you to show," Robin greeted. She rolled her eyes.

"Nice to be here." She squatted down next to them. "What do we got?" She asked, tapping her mask to switch to infrared.

"Scarecrow's there alright," Robin answered. "Along with around thirty armed thugs."

She shrugged. "No big. What's he shipin'?"

"A new fear drug," Batman replied. "We don't have an antidote, so don't get infected."

Batman and Robin came in through the roof, while Red Kite entered through a window. She dodged gunfire, throwing down a smoke bomb. She was small, using that to her advantage, she made her way through the smoke, going low and took out thugs, she had already put on her gas mask and switched her mask to infrared.

She came up on one of the thugs, but he turned around and hit her square in the jaw with a stick. She back-handspringed out of the way of another swing. Her vision was fuzzy.

"Heat vision goggles, they work quite nicely," the thug said. Her vision cleared. Not a thug, Scarecrow. She drew her sword, blocking another blow. "One bird and one bat make a duo, add a bird and you get a tri-"

She caught the staff and wrenched it from his hands.

"Sorry Crane you're going back home to Arkham," she said. Her voice sounded weird through the gas mask. She gripped his shirtfront and punched him square in the jaw. He flew back and hit the wall. She flipped out of the way of gunfire, knocking the thug out with one hit.

"I'm afraid not deary," Crane said. "You see I knew you three would be here, and I took certain…precautions." Crane held up a detonator. Her eyes widened.

"Get down!" She shouted as she threw a shuriken, but she knew it'd be to late. An explosion blasted her back, she hit the wall with a painful crack. There goes a few ribs. There was the hiss of air escaping. Grayish smoke crept towards her. She felt her mouth, the gas-mask was cracked. She tried to get it off and replace it with a rebreather. To late. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was someone calling her name.

* * *

_She opened her eyes. Where was she? She looked around warily. She was in a city, Gotham City. She heard a laugh and looked around to the source. A couple with two children were walking down the street. The two kids were talking animatedly._

_Then out of nowhere a man appeared, firing two shots from a handgun. It seemed in slow motion, both the man and woman fell to the ground and the little girl screamed._

"_NO!__" __Scarlet screamed, caught up in the moment. Tears streamed down her face and she was suddenly in the memory, gripping her mother__'__s hand. __"__No no no, please no.__" __She turned to see the killer, his face seared into her mind. She turned back. __"__Mom! You can__'__t die! Please no! No no no__…"_

_She became ethereal again, floating above her younger self as the scene changed. _

_Years later, she was fighting. Fighting against him. She blocked a sword blow, sweeping her foot out below him, trying to trip him._

"_You can__'__t beat me,__" __he taunted. __"__You never will.__"_

_She flipped back, landing on her hands and then on her feet. __"__I may not beat you, but I__'__ll never stop fighting,__" __she hissed. __"__You may not have pulled the trigger, but you did kill them.__"_

"_Yes I did,__" __he said indifferently. __"__I needed to retrieve what was rightfully mine.__"_

"_I am not yours!__" __She shouted. __"__I never have been, and I never will be!__" _

_He blocked a blow. Metal against metal, sparks flew, he pressed down, down. He was way stronger. With a final push, she flew back, hitting the wall. He was there again, beating down on her as she feebly blocked the razor sharp sword. With strength she didn't have, she kicked him as hard as she could in the crotch and then in the jaw. She pulled herself to her feet. Steadying herself against the wall and leveling her blade._

"_You shouldn't have taught me so well,__" __she said. _

_He pulled a gun and shot with deadly accuracy. She dodged and spun, flying this way and that on nimble feet and blocking bullets with her sword. As she spun around, she saw a metal sphere fly towards her. She hit it with her sword and jumped out of the way as it blew. She went into an army role, coming up back into a standing position. She turned back towards her opponent, with a short gasp, she leaned back, trying to avoid the sword flying towards her. She barely felt the sword slice her eyes, due to the impressive amount of adrenaline pumping through her, but she knew it hit her. She felt her eye, her hand came back red with her own blood. She held a hand to her eye, and blocked a bullet with her sword. _

_There was only one way to get out of here now, and she took it, his voice calling behind her._

"_You can run, you can hide, but I will find you, and when I do, you__'__ll have much more than a single scar!__"_

* * *

Scarlet bolted upright, breathing heavily, sweat mixed with tears streamed down her face. She tore the breathing mask off, dragging in a long breath of air. As her vision started to clear, she looked around. She was still in her suit, her belt, gloves and boots were gone. Her mask…her mask! It was gone! Then everything came back, the fight, Scarecrow, the gas. She must have gone unconscious. She looked around. She was lying in a hospital bed, but outside the glass was some sort of cave. Stalactites hung from the ceiling gear and trophies were here and there, also a huge bank of computers. Realization hit her, she was in the Batcave!

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"I hope you're not planning on getting out of bed," a British voice announced.

She looked up sharply. A man who was probably well on into his sixties stood at the door. He was dressed in a semi-oldfashioned suit and was holding a tray.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Alfred Pennyworth, the butler of Master Bruce," he replied in his accent.

"Where's my equipment?" She asked. "And how'd you even get it off?"

"You're tech is quite good Ms. Madison, but I work for the Batman, if you take my meaning. And you're equipment is at the foot of the bed." She pulled on her boots and gloves, looking at the mask for a moment, then slipping it into her belt. It was pretty pointless now.

She stood, bright spots exploded in her vision. She put a hand to her head, leaning against the wall.

"I did warn you," Pennyworth said. "Unfortunately you Bats are most annoyingly stubborn."

"I'm not a Bat," she said. "Heck I'm not even a bird." She shook her head, trying to get rid of the memories. "Where's Bats?" She asked.

"Master Bruce is at the computer-" She was gone before he could say anything else. She walked over to the massive computer system.

"We get Scarecrow?" She asked.

Batman nodded. "Yes. You got a good dose of a new fear gas. I was able to concoct an antidote."

"Thanks," she said, a little uncertainly. "Did-did I say anything out loud?"

He stopped typing. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "No, I suppose not."

"Morning sleepin' beauty," a voice said. She rolled her eyes at the fifteen year old.

"Hi." His eyes momentarily focused on the scar over her eye. She touched it. "Fun stuff."

He smiled slightly. "Well at least you're here for Thanksgiving for sure," he said.

She shrugged. "What time is it?"

"Four."

"What time is dinner?"

"Six."

She nodded. "I think I'll head back home for a while, I need to grab a couple things, and change."

"I'll come with you," he offered.

She shook her head. "Nah. I'm good."

"Sure?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes I'm sure. I'll be back soon."

"Alright, see you in a bit."

"Bye."

Dick watched Scarlet go and turned to Bruce. "You think she'll be alright?" He asked.

Bruce nodded. "Yes. She's dealt with worse."

"Do I want to know?" He asked.

Bruce shook his head. "Probably not."

"So, do we have a lead on Drage's deal?" He asked, changing the subject. They'd gotten info that a deal was going down in Gotham a few weeks before.

"Not really," Bruce answered. "But we'll get him."

Thanksgiving dinner was amazing, courtesy of Alfred's cooking and Scarlet's casserole. Talk was semi-limited yet fortunately not awkward. Finally Scarlet worked up the courage to ask.

"Have you found Drage?" She asked.

Dick glanced at Bruce, who set down his fork and looked at her. "Not as of yet, but we will."

"Oh. What about the venom?" She asked, referring to the venom pumped thugs at the Drage's warehouse.

"Bane is in prison and the trail to the seller was a dead-end," Dick answered this time.

She nodded, concealing her disappointment. "Do we have any upcoming missions?"

"I think that's quite enough of that talk," Alfred said. "Finish eating."

She bit back a smile at the butler's reproving tone, obeying without much grievance.

That night, she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She realized that this was the first Thanksgiving she'd had in over eight years. It had actually been…enjoyable. But she still couldn't shake the feeling that she'd met Bruce before. Before she became Red Kite and started working with him. Either way, she was grateful to, for once in her life, have allies.

* * *

**I know it's not the best but I was rushed! Anyway****…****Flamebird. And another piece of Scarlet****'****s past is revealed. Please review!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned DC Superman and Lois Lane would still be married :/ *sigh* the rights to everyone but Scarlet go directly to DC comics.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi guys, I'm really sorry I haven't been updating but things have been hella busy, I'll try and sneak in an update soon. Also, I've posted my story The Perceived Threat on the NanoWrimo contest on inkitt, it's not a fanfic, but if you could check it out, read it, and maybe even like it I would be SO thankful. Here's the link ** nanowrimo **please just check it out.**

**I'll be updating soon, love ya'll**

**Batfan3**


	10. Revelations

**Hi guys, I know it's been a while, but I'm finally back. My computer refused to update for a while, it was really annoying, but I fixed it. One thing to know, there may be a few little inconsistencies because I changed a few things. If you come across one of these just PM me and I'll explain**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Revelations**

Scarlet clicked her pen in and out, making it jump up and fall back into her hand, she was studying the questions on her math paper. Lunch time at Gotham High was super noisy, but long practice of blocking out the world allowed her to work on her assignment. She clicked her pen again but this time it didn't come back down. She looked up in confusion.

A black hair blue eyed teen waved the pen back and forth above her head.

"Give it back," she said, holding out a hand.

He pursed his lips. "Hmm, how about…nah, too much fun to give it back."

She rolled her eyes. "You have three seconds before I chop off your arm," she said.

He smirked. "Ooh, I'm so scared."

She made a grab at the pen, he moved it out of the way. "Give it back! Don't be such a dick, Dick," she said.

He wrinkled his nose. "That's not very nice."

She snatched the pen back. "Go bother someone else," she muttered, continuing on her homework.

Dick smirked. "Fine fine, oh bwt, club meeting at four thirty." _Titan's meeting._

She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I'll be there, now go away."

He bowed mockingly. "As you wish m'lady."

She rolled her eyes, looking down at her math work to hide her smile.

* * *

A while later, the team, minus Robin, were in the 'rec' room in the tower. Cyborg, Kid Flash and Blue Beatle were playing video games, Wonder girl was reading and Red Kite was drawing. She lay on her stomach, her tongue out in concentration.

"That looks good," Wonder girl commented.

She blushed, half covering the drawing. "It's nothing."

"No really it's good," Wonder girl said. She looked at it. It was a picture of the team doing exactly what they were doing, with Robin put in in the doorway, hands on his hips, rolling his eyes.

"Thanks Wonder girl," she said.

"You can call me Cassandra, or Cass, or Cassie," Wonder girl said. "The team does, and you're part of the team now."

She smiled slightly. "Thanks." That was a nice thought, a nice sentiment.

"You can call her CS to," KF called over his shoulder.

Cassie grimaced. "He knows I hate that."

"How about we call Red Kite RK!" Wally said.

"Then I get to call you KI," she said.

Cassie frowned. "KI?"

She smirked. "Kid Idiot." Both girls laughed.

Wally simply let out an offended, "Hey!"

"Anyone know where Robin is?" Cyborg asked. "He was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago."

"Don't know don't care," Red Kite said.

Cassie nudged her. "Oh come on, we _all_ know you to like each other, even Wally can see it."

Her pencil snapped. "_What_?"

Cassie smirked. "Admit it, you like him."

"Dang it!" Wally exclaimed, he'd died in the game.

"I do not!" She exclaimed. There was a blur and her broken pencil and pad disappeared. "Hey!" Wally waved it around.

"Not giv'n it back until you admit it!" He said childishly.

"Give it back!" She grabbed at it, he moved it away. "Come on! First Robin now you!"

Cassie raised an eyebrow. "When did Robin do that to you?"

"None of your-" She punched Wally in the stomach, snatching her things out of the air as he fell. "Bee's-wax," she finished, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"What's going on?" A voice asked, everyone turned to see Robin in the doorway, hands on hips. "Why aren't you all in the meeting room?" He looked at Wally, who was still on the floor, winded. "And why is Wally on the floor?"

"Well it's kinda hard to have a meeting when the team leader is unaccounted for," Red Kite snarked.

He rolled his eyes. Both she and Wonder girl burst out laughing at the exact replica in her drawing.

"What?" Robin looked at them in confusion, they just kept laughing. "Hey guys, guys!" The game players ignored their leader, continuing with their game. Suddenly the tv shut off.

"Dude what the heck?" KF asked. "I was winning!"

"Ha! In your dreams!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"You guys must be blind," Blue Beatle said. "I was totally on the win."

"Guys just shut up and listen!" Robin interrupted them. "We have a mission." Everyone shut up at this. "You may or may not know this, but several high level criminals broke out two days ago on the same day, almost to the minute." He pulled up a holo-graph on his glove, typing something in before the tv switched back on, showing the intel. "Poison Ivy, Clay Face, Vertigo, Cheetah and Parasite. Ivy and Vertigo were spotted exiting the JFK airport, we have access to almost every camera and are running a facial scan as we speak, but Batman wants us in New York on the ground to see if we can try and find them covertly."

"Sounds good to me," Red Kite said, snapping her pad shut.

"Meaning lose the suit," Robin said, looking at her pointedly. She grimaced. "Meet in the hanger in ten."

* * *

Ten minutes later they were all in the jet, all dressed in civilian clothes. They all had spare clothes in the tower just in case. Scarlet felt uncomfortable without her katana strapped to her back. She had it tucked into a bag at her feet. She was dressed in skinny jeans, a _Skillet_ tee-shirt, a gray leather vest, converse and dangly chain earrings. She also had reflective glasses and a Gotham Knights baseball cap. Her belt was in the bag with her katana, but she still had weapons on her person.

"Cameras just picked up Vertigo exiting a fast food joint in Time Square," Blue Beatle said. "I know. Yeah he is. Well we could get-shut up, just shut up."

Scarlet looked around, none of her team mates seemed the least bit surprised by the strange behavior.

"Why do you do that?" She asked finally.

"What?" Blue Beatle asked.

She hesitated slightly. "You know, talk to yourself."

"Oh that," he rolled his eyes. "The Beatle is an alien AI."

She blinked. "Oh. So it…talks to you?" She tried.

He nodded. "Basically."

"No offense, but having a voice in your head? That's pretty weird," she said.

He shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

"What are we supposed to call you?" Cyborg asked. "It's not like we can go 'round callin' you Red Kite in public."

She pursed her lips. "You can call me Scarlet," she said finally.

Robin glanced at her. "How many names do you have?"

"To many to count," she replied.

"Whatever you say Red."

She looked at him, annoyed, but didn't say anything. He'd call her that wether she liked it or not.

"So what's the plan?" Superboy asked.

"We're going to split up. Team delta is Superboy and Wonder girl, beta, Blue Beatle and Wally, and me and Red are alpha," Robin answered. "Communicate via comm, and have your trackers activated, just in case."

"Are we just gonna search New York?" Scarlet snorted.

Robin shot her a disapproving glare. "No. Vertigo was sighted again, 'American Museum of National History' Delta's going for the east section, beta's center, alpha's west. Got it?"

Everyone gave a nod of assertion.

"Scarlet, because it's a museum, me and you will have to leave our weapons here-"

"WHAT!?" She exclaimed. "No way!"

"Do you _want _to get arrested?" Robin snapped. "Take whatever weapons you have that'll get past security but the sword stays here," he commanded.

She felt like she'd burst into flames in indignation, but she knew he was right.

"Fine!" She snapped.

"What about me?" Cyborg asked.

Robin sighed. "You're not gonna make it past the metal detectors, you'll be our eyes outside, manning the jet in case of a quick getaway."

Cyborg sighed. "Dang it!"

Scarlet sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

* * *

Scarlet looked around the crowded museum uncomfortably, without her sword and the majority of her weapons, this mission was looking less and less appealing.

"Relax," Robin whispered. "Just keep a lookout for Vertigo."

"_You _relax," she snapped. "Don't think I can't see you tense every time someone reaches in their jacket."

"That's called caution," he retorted.

"It's to crowded," she muttered. "And I want my mask," she grumbled, annoyed. The reflective glasses were stupid, especially inside a museum, but they did have thermal, heat, night and radiation vision, just like the masks.

"Oh yeah, a couple of teenagers walking around a museum wearing masks and carrying swords," he hissed. "That'd go over well."

_"__Guys we got a visual," _Wonder girl said from the comm.

"Where are you?" Robin asked.

_"__Gunboat Philidelphia exhibit,"_ Superboy answered.

"Do not engage we're on our way," Robin commanded. "Wally, Jaime, you got that?"

_"__Loud and clear,"_ Wally answered.

_"__On our way,"_ Jaime said.

_"__He's on the move,"_ Superboy warned.

"Follow him but do not engage," Robin replied. "Stay in contact."

"What do you have Vic?" Scarlet said into her comm.

_"__Black cadillac just pulled up in front of the building," _Cyborg said. _"It's just sittn' there."_

"Keep an eye on it," Robin said.

"I don't like this," Scarlet said to Robin. "It's to…"

"Easy," Robin finished. "I know."

_"__Vertigo is leaving the building through the eastern exit," _Wonder girl said. _"Following."_

"Don't go anywhere secluded," Robin warned. "Just follow from a safe distance."

_"__Will do."_

"Wally where are you guys?" Scarlet asked.

_"__Just exiting the building,"_ Wally said. _"Got a visual on Vertigo and delta."_

"Stay in a semi-crowded area," she also warned.

_"__Yeah yeah I got it."_

_"__Vertigo's headed for the parking lot,"_ Superboy said.

She and Robin exited the building, making their way to the parking lot.

They heard cursing from Cyborg._"Guys I just got sight of Ivy and Cheetah."_

"Suit up fast," Robin said. "I think we've got trouble."

They got to the lot as quick as they could, but when they got there, there was no one there. At least, no one that they knew.

"Wonder girl?" She said into her comm. "Wonder girl come in!" She only heard static. She looked at Robin and shook her head.

"KF?" Robin looked at her. "Nothing."

She cursed with words no fifteen year old should know in four different languages.

_"__I'm gettin' static on all the comms except you two," _Cyborg said. _"Trackers are gone too."_

"We'll meet you at the jet and go from there," Robin said.

_"__Will do."_

* * *

Robin and Red Kite took a cab to an abandoned warehouse district where they'd landed the jet.

"You kids sure you're okay?" The cabbie asked. "It's gettn' late."

"We're fine," Red snapped, get out.

He payed quickly. "Sorry, she's grumpy." He got out. "Red," he hissed.

"What?" She snapped again.

"Cool it," he said in a low voice. "We'll get them."

"The last time I heard that I lost one of my team mates," she hissed. "So keep your reassurances to yourself."

He frowned in confusion. "What? I thought-"

"They all died in the eruption?" She shook her head angrily. "Let's just find them."

They entered the jet. Cyborg was in the pilot's seat.

"One of the trackers just came on, just a blip," he said.

"Where?" Red Kite immediately asked, strapping on her belt and sword.

"An abandoned theater in downtown Manhattan," Cyborg said.

"Let's go," Red Kite said, starting out, he grabbed her arm.

"Hey hey hey, you can't go busting in without a plan Red," he said. "It's suicide."

She wrenched her arm out of his grip. "I don't care if it kills me, I am _not _losing another teammate."

_"__Kira is out there and we're here!"_

_"__Calm down Scarlet, it'll be fine-"_

_"__Don't tell me to calm down Dean! I promised I'd protect them and that's what I'm going to do!"_

_"__Raving about it won't bring her back…shh, it's ok, we'll find her."_

_"__I just…I can't lose someone else."_

_"__And you won't. It's ok love, we'll find them."_

_"__But-"_

_"__Shh, we'll get them."_

Scarlet stared out the window of the jet as they flew, her eyes filling with tears at the memory. She brushed them away quickly.

"It won't happen like that," she whispered. "Never, _ever_ again."

"Hey, you okay?" Robin asked. Cyborg was in the front and couldn't hear.

"I'm fine," she snapped, she sighed, the answered more quietly. "I'm fine."

"I'm sure they're ok," Robin assured her.

"It's undoubtedly a trap," she commented. "I knew it was too easy."

"Just have a little faith," Robin said. "We'll get them."

She nodded. "We better." Her expression darkened. "Or there'll be hell to pay."

* * *

Red Kite looked into the theater through a dust-covered window. Cyborg was a few miles away with the jet and Robin was next to her.

Kid Flash and Blue Beatle were both wrapped in vines, unconscious, Superboy and Wonder girl were unconscious, probably drained by Parasite.

Clay Face, Ivy, Vertigo, Cheetah and Parasite were all seated at a table, playing cards.

She placed a small metal piece on the window, putting another piece like a comm unit in her ear.

_"__When's the boss gettin' here?" _Clay Face asked.

_"__If we weren't being paid thirty thousand dollars I wouldn't be here, answering to any commoner," _Vertigo said snootily.

_"__Nor would I, but I'll suffer you killers if I get my money," _Ivy said.

_"__Killers? You're one to talk," _Cheetah snapped.

_"__Whenever you battle you kill my babies," _Ivy said, caressing a small plant.

Cheetah snorted. _"Whatever. I just want my money."_

_"__He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago," _Parasite said in annoyance.

_"__Sorry for the delay," _a voice said. A man entered the room. Her blood ran cold.

"Drage," she whispered. "No…"

_" '__bout time!" _Clay Face exclaimed.

_"__I see you have the-" _Drage broke off. _"There's only four! And where is the red haired girl?!"_

_"__We got what we could," _Ivy said. _"We'll get the others when they try to rescue-"_

_"__FOOLS!" _Drage roared. _"The only one I wanted was the girl! The others were a mere bonus!"_

_"__We'll get her," _Vertigo said. _"Calm down."_

_"__You'd better get her-"_

At that moment, Red Kite, Robin and Cyborg crashed in through the window. Robin went for Superboy, Cyborg attacked Ivy and Red Kite went straight for Drage.

She tackled him.

"You wanted me!? Here I am!" She shouted. Something wrapped around her waist, draggin her off Drage. Clay Face. She twisted around, throwing an explosive at the villain, distracting him enough to drop her.

A dull ringing pierced through her bloodlust clouded haze.

"You think I'd be stupid enough to not plug my ears?" She asked as she front kicked Vertigo in the chest followed by a round-house. She ducked a swipe of Cheetah's claws, blocking another with her sword.

"You know I promised I wouldn't kill," she said, blocking again. "But maybe I can make an exception." She saw Parasite flying towards her through her peripheral vision. She could, under no circumstances, let him touch her.

Something slammed into her, making her hit the wall with a painful crack. She groaned, rolling over, everything hazy.

"No…" She whispered. Robin and Cyborg were getting beaten back slowly but surly. She didn't want to do it, she didn't want to lose control. But she had to or they would all die.

As Parasite stocked towards her, he suddenly flew back, crashing through the wall. She stood, wind swirling around her, whipping up dust and debris.

"You think it's okay to hurt my friends?" She said loudly as she rose into the air. Fire blasted from her hands and water seemed to come out of nowhere, swirling around in a death trap. Then suddenly everything froze, the villains and the heroes staring at her in horror. A ghost of a smile flittered across her face.

"Think again."

* * *

**Duh duh dun nuh! And we have a little revelation. Again sorry for not updating sooner, please review!**


	11. Author's Note

Hello everyone! Before I launch into my speech (kidding) I'M SO SO SORRY! Rest assured there are reasons for not uploading! My computer (or account I'm not sure) is being stupid and won't upload anything I try to upload. I've used four different computers with six different documents, I've tried doc upload and copy'N'paste I've tried switching emails _nothing_ is working. But it this uploads than that means it will work and I will once more begin updating.

I know it's been a long time and I'm really really sorry. On the bright side I've gotten a _lot_ better at writing, my style has improved and my writing itself is way better. (So its the dialogue, story, plot, flow basically everything)

A few notes on my stories, _Changing Waters_ is revised and will be uploaded as a new story. I realized that the old one basically sucked so I wanted to write a better version and while my computer was being a dumbass I wrote, edited and completed the _entire_ book! All of which will be uploaded in quick succession. Also, _Lost Girl_'s sequel, _Child of the Lost_, is completed and will also be uploaded. I am currently working on _Cold as Ice_ but it may take some time as I'm busy with many of my originals. _Angels, Demons and Blood_ is quite possibly on permanent hiatus. I'm sorry! Though I may try and finish it one of these days. (Time is ever running away and being a Highschool Senior takes 9_way_ too much time :( )

Whew! That was a long AN. Case, point: just give me a chance and I will write to the utmost of my ability!

I love you all~

Batfan3


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